Shattered Heart
by SeaEmerald
Summary: After Stella experiences a painful breakup, a handsome yet arrogant stranger enters into her life. After being immediately struck by an awful tragedy, she's left heartbroken and crushed. In addition to that, when she's forced to say 'I do' to the very man who hates her, she gives up on life. Little does she know that this brilliant young man will inevitably change her life forever.
1. The Breakup

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB. If I did, Musa and Riven would still be together. Nabu would be alive and happy with Layla (oh and the princess of Andros would be named Layla instead of Aisha) :(**

Note: This is my first story for Winx Club, so I'd appreciate any suggestions/feedback! Thank you :) I wrote this story a long, long time ago but eh. It was published on an interactive app but not on Internet like this. I never finished it so...I'm gonna do it now x_x

 **Disclaimer #2:** **The characters in this story _will be_ OOC on plenty of occasions. If you're the type of person who is very stringent on the characterizations based on the show, then this story is probably not for you.**

 **P.S. Did I mention that there won't be any magic in this fic :) ?**

 **With that, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles, California - 7:30 AM ~**

Ahhhh, a _Saturday..._

So what would _anyone_ do on a Saturday? Probably sleep in or do something of an equivalent of Netflix and chill. What could be more wonderful than waking up to a morning after a long, rested sleep?

Well, for starters, maybe it would've been wonderful if...

 _Beeepp! Beeeeeepppp! Beeeeeeeeeeeepppp!_

"Ugh, let me sleep, you stupid clock!" a blonde angrily groaned as she slammed a fist on her tiny, trusty alarm clock in an attempt to cut it off. Thank God she didn't set an alarm on her phone or she might've thrown it out of a window or something. The twenty-one-year-old rolled over and sleepily opened her eyes. She picked up her little alarm and groaned again. It's only freaking 7:30 in the morning! So, why should she be up? She sighed and buried her head inside the pillow again.

Yawning, the tall blonde sat up in bed a few minutes of lazy rolling later and rubbed her eyes. "I guess there's no use in sleeping now," she yawned again sleepily before she stretched.

 _Stella Solaria._ A twenty-one-year-old who has just finished her undergraduation from Palm Springs University, California. Yup. That's about it.

Dragging herself grumpily out of bed, Stella waltzed to the bathroom, did her daily business, showered, and quickly got dressed. She wore a soft orange, floral dress and tied her hair into a high ponytail. She blew her bangs from her eyes as she smiled at her reflection in the mirror before leaving the room, humming a tune to herself.

"Morning, mom," Stella greeted her mother in the living room.

"Morning, sweetie!" Luna Solaria greeted as she looked up from her morning paper and smiled at her daughter. "You're up early today," she remarked, impressed and a little amused. Her mother was an exact, carbon copied older version of Stella. The former had platinum blonde hair which went way past her waist whereas Stella's honey-blonde hair ended up near her waist. Her mother's eyes were a dark blue whereas Stella's were a golden hazel (clearly from her father).

The blonde flopped on the couch with a sleepy sigh. "That's kinda what happens when you forget to turn off your alarm," Stella murmured with a tint of annoyance.

Her mom laughed, very well aware of her daughter's grumpy yet amusing antics in the early mornings. "Any plans for today?"

Stella unlocked her phone and scrolled through her contacts. "Probably go and see Jason? I haven't seen him since graduation," the blonde blushed with a smile. Graduation was two days ago.

She smiled as the familiar name on the phone came into view. She waved to her mom before leaving the room for some privacy. Jason Sinclair is her boyfriend of three months. Even though it wasn't for long, Stella always felt over the moon in his presence. She's been heavily crushing on him since high school. Hence...five years is a _long, long_ time to be infatuated with someone.

"I wonder if the slooze is still awake," she murmured when she heard the phone ring on the other line.

"HELLO?!" On the other end, a gruff voice was heard.

"Hey, Jason!" Stella blushed as she thought about the tall brunet.

"...Stella?" his sleepy voice now sounded fully awake.

"Duh. Were you expecting someone else? I was wondering if you wanna hang out today? I'm bored to death already," she complained.

"Uh...listen, I gotta tell you something..."

"Okay. I'll come over to your place in 10 minutes," Stella smiled into the phone.

"Well...uh...you know what? Sure." Unbeknownst to Stella, a sinister smile played on the person's lips on the other end of the phone.

"Great." Stella cut the phone and ran to the living room excitedly. She quickly waved to her parents and bolted out the door.

"Stel-!" Luna started.

"Don't bother, Luna. She barely acknowledges us every time that _boyfriend_ of hers is involved," Radius Solaria started grumpily as he watched his only child run out the door like some fangirl.

"Oh come on, Radius! Aren't you happy that she's in love? Jason is her first boyfriend and we need to trust her decision," Luna informed her grumpy husband with a chuckle.

"I trust my baby girl. It's that Jason boy I don't trust. I just don't like him," Radius slandered, rubbing his chin with a frown.

* * *

 **~ Jason's House - 8:25 AM ~**

"Stella, babyyyyyyy!" a tall, brown-haired man with green eyes greeted the blonde entering his house.

"Jace, don't call me that. It's annoying," Stella pouted. For some reason, she didn't feel at ease when he called her that.

"Mhm...so...what do you want to do?" he whispered with a sly smile. Stella's eyes narrowed when he watched him take a step forward towards her. She unconsciously took a step backwards. He grabbed her shoulders and pressed her to the closed door. There was a change in his tone and it sounded almost... _husky._

"Um...what're you doing?" Stella asked with a nervous laugh as she tried to push his arms off of her.

"Stella...I _know_ you want me...," he groaned as he buried herself in his hair. Stella's eyes widened as she let out a surprised gasp before blowing up into a full panic mode when she felt him start to kiss her neck. _What the &mdash!? _She tried to push him away desperately. He took ahold of her arms and slammed them with his hands on either side of her head. "W-What're you doing?!" she gasped in fear. "Jason, let me go!" But he didn't listen. She started to squirm and twist in his hold. _Oh God...I'm going to be raped..._ And she wasn't going to wait around to test her theory. Stella's eyes watered when he touched her the hem of her shirt. If she didn't get out soon, she'll be...

 _No...no. Just...NO. She_ won't let that happen to herself. "NO!" Stella screamed with newly found strength as she pushed him away by a foot. Jason, not clearly expecting this after her presumed defeat, glared at her in anger. Tears gathered in her honey-colored, betrayed eyes. _What was he doing...?_ Stella cried, "What do you think you're doing?! Don't you care about what I&mdash"

He rolled his eyes before barking, "Yeah, yeah. I would've asked you this question in the first week itself...except I didn't think you'd say yes that soon yet."

Stella fell slack on the spot at his response. If _this is what he thinks is a relationship...does that mean he never cared for me...?_ Another tear fell from her eye. She found her insides crumbling. She thought she had found her love. Jason was handsome, charming, and polite, and she really thought he was 'The One'.

"No," she seethed, stepping away from him. "I'm not ready for this. For the record, we're _so_ over!" she screamed in his face before turning on her heel. Before she could make her escape, Jason grabbed her arm and turned her back around.

"Jason, stop it!"

"Now, listen to me, you little _bitch,_ no one, I repeat, _no one_ rejects me. Not now, not _ever!_ _"_ he spat with a hiss.

Stella looked at him in fear. He was a twenty-two-year-old male with a well-built physique. And compared to him, she was a weak, vulnerable female. How can she possibly beat strength?

Still, she refused to surrender. "Well there's always a first time for everything," she hissed before pushing him away suddenly. She quickly freed herself by kicking him in his inner thigh before running out the door. She heard a sharp groan behind her but refused to look back. Tears streamed down her face as she ran to her car and shakily unlocked it with the button. She panicked when she saw him composing himself and running towards her. She quickly got inside the car and locked the vehicle.

She fumbled for the ignition key with a choked sob. Her fingers shook uncontrollably. She let out a startled, scared scream when he banged on her window. She controlled herself and tried to get the key into the ignition. She inserted it and twisted it to the right. The car thankfully started. She ignored her name being called before slamming her foot on the gas.

Stella held back her tears in the car. She was shocked beyond emotions. He was the one of the most popular guys in school and even throughout college, but...he noticed her. And that's what made her fall for him. But him...? He lead her on... All he wanted from her was _that_. She thought he was different like everyone else but apparently not. Stella tried to control her tears, but they didn't stop. She loved the guy for almost 5 something years and she thought he wasn't like others. Obviously not. He was the same. He wants what every man wants. SCREW THEM. _SCREW ALL OF THEM._

* * *

 **~ Stella's House - 9:30 AM ~**

With tears in her eyes, Stella quickly made it up the steps and opened the front door. Thankfully, her parents aren't in the living room. She didn't want them to see her like this. In anger, Stella tossed the keys on a nearby table before flopping on the couch.

However, it seems as if luck just wasn't on her side today.

"Honey?! Is that you?!" Luna hollered from the kitchen. At the sound of her mother's warm, welcoming voice, Stella couldn't help but want to cry. She buried her head into her hands and began to sob.

"Stella? Honey, what's wrong?" Radius came out of nowhere and instantly ran to his crying daughter. He sat beside her. Sobbing loudly, she hugged her father. Hearing her cry, even her mother hurriedly entered the living room in concern. Luna's green eyes widened in alarm and she immediately sat on Stella's other side. She looked at Radius with urgent eyes who looked equally hopeless as her. _What had happened?_

"Honey, what's wrong? Weren't you visiting Jason today?" Luna patted her daughter's hair.

Stella cried while shaking her head. "A little change of plans. We're gonna break up instead," she retorted bitterly, sniffling.

"Why? I thought you really liked that boy?" Radius tried his best to conceal his clear dislike for that Sinclair. He was thrilled to hear about the breakup but seeing the tear streaks on the blonde's face, he kept mum.

"He...he didn't want a relationship," Stella whispered, sniffled. "...He wanted something else and I didn't give it," the blonde bitterly said.

Their eyes widened. Radius and Luna looked at each other. Stella's father looked absolutely livid. It didn't take a genius to figure out what Jason wanted.

Wiping her tears away, the blonde stood up. "I'm sorry, guys. I just need some time alone..."

With that, the folks watched as their daughter walked tiredly out of the room.

"I _knew_ I didn't trust him for a reason! I'm going to give that bastard a piece of my mind!" Radius immediately roared before moving to teach that boy a lesson he'll never forget.

"No, you're not," Luna shook her head firmly.

Radius huffed in incredulity. "He broke my little girl's heart. There's no way that I'm letting this go any time soon."

"Radius, we don't want Stella to have any problems with Jason. This is something that she has to overcome on her own." Luna stood up and continued, "We're gonna need to talk to her. Come on." They both at once made their way inside Stella's room. Radius sighed when he saw her crying on the bed while Luna looked on sadly with concern.

"Stella?" Luna asked tentatively. She sat beside her daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder. The blonde didn't bother raising her head and simply continued crying into her hands. A few minutes later, the intense sobs were reduced to small sniffles.

"I can't believe I trusted him, Mom..." Stella sniffled.

"Honey, _believe me._ As any parent would feel, I want to knock some sense into him."

"No, it's fine. Mom, he's not worth it."

Radius sat on the other side of her. He placed his hand on her back. "Remember, you're a gorgeous girl, and we'll always be proud of you."

Stella smiled through her tears. "Well, I have good parents."

"Now, _that_ you do."

"Thanks, Dad," she laughed through her tears. She wiped away her tears. She looked at both of them again and looked momentarily stunned at what they're wearing. She hadn't noticed their attire earlier due to the whole Jason-almost-tried-to-rape-me fiasco.

"Wait a sec...why're you two dressed up?" the blonde asked curiously, pointing to their formal outfits.

Luna nervously smiled. "Oh. Uh...remember the conference?" she sheepishly reminded.

Stella's eyes widened. Oh my god, _duh._ Her parents had told her a week ago that they were going to New York for some international conference she could care less about.

Radius Solaria and Luna Solaria were the CEO and Vice President of Radar Industries, one of the largest conglomerates specializing in technology and solar energy. It only made sense that their one and only daughter also pursued her passion and made a name for herself in college by graduating in the top 5% of her class.

"Oh my god, that's tomorrow, isn't it?" Stella asked them with surprised eyes. Time flew by faster than she thought.

Her father shook his head. "Actually, no. We're gonna cancel our trip. We're not going with you like this."

"No, no, no, you're not. I'll be fine. Really. You two should just go," she stated stubbornly. She turned to her mom. "Mom, I'll be fine. I know it's important that you guys attend. So, please don't cancel on my behalf."

"You sure? It's a month long, sweetie," Luna gently smiled.

Stella nodded. Yeah, they told her that last week.

"And...it could get long, considering how those ambassadors are never on time nor do they get any work done. _Pompous brats."_

Stella laughed. It always amused her when her mother abused businessmen constantly despite being a busy woman herself.

Stella pushed them both off the bed. "Well then! Get going. Last time I checked, New York isn't next door." She sighed when she saw the unsure faces of her parents. "Get going. I love you both. Stay safe." She smiled with so much effort even though it was fake.

* * *

 **~ 9:30 PM ~**

Stella sat in her room, sighing as she looked out her window. Her parents had left in the morning, leaving her all alone. The house was eerily silent. It was almost deafening, but she didn't seem to care. She looked out the window into the starry sky. The city was full of lights, yet the light in her heart seemed to go out. A tear slipped past her eye. A man she loved for over five years betrayed her in the worst way possible. She truly loved him, yet he only developed an interest in the pleasure she could offer.

 _"Jason..."_ she sadly might as well drive a stake through her heart.

She'll _never_ get over this pain. She'll _never_ forget this torment.

 _Little did she know that this is just the beginning of a new chapter in her life..._

* * *

 ** _Thanks for reading :)_**


	2. Unwelcome Intrusion

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB. :(**

 **Thank you for everyone who has reviewed :) To those reviewers, I'm replying in chronological order (first to recent):**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! And I'll try!**

 **Sunshinestelz: Thank you. I'll try to write in her POV, although I'll still have to use 3rd person's POV sometimes. She will be a cheerful and optimistic girl, but it won't be any time now. Maybe later into the chapters? I've tried to write this chapter in her POV, so tell me what you think because I'm not really that good at it.**

 **Midnight's Fire: Thank you! And yes, I am.**

 **Guest: Hope you like the new update :)**

 **SamScam: Thank you! That's so sweet of you :)**

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Living Room - 8:10 AM ~**

 **Stella's POV:**

I yawned as I flopped sleepily on the large white couch. I could barely manage to stop crying last night, let alone sleep a wink. My eyes probably look as if they're gonna come out of their sockets any time now with the amount of useless moping I did yesterday.

Sighing sadly, I absentmindedly ran my fingers through my damp hair in an attempt to dry it off. I'm not really an early riser, but today's a great exception. So, that would also probably explain why I'm showered and dressed right now. By "dressed", I'm talking about a casual full sleeved orange t-shirt and white skinny jeans. I really didn't feel like dressing up or anything. It's just me now. Mom and dad left for New York yesterday.

A text from my phone interrupted my daydreaming. I smiled when I saw that it was a good morning text from mom. I texted her back assuring her that I'm fine and doing well. I smiled wistfully at her concern. I mean, after that hysterical break down session I got going on yesterday, people are bound to worry.

A few minutes later, I sighed, looking around the house.

 _Silence..._

I need to get out of this place. Cooped up here is definitely not doing me any good. Maybe a walk will clear my mind? It's definitely better than moping. I stood up, tossing my still-damp hair over my shoulders. I grabbed my sling purse before making my way towards the front door. I needed to get out of this place quickly before I change my mind and go back to sulking.

* * *

 **~ Starbucks Coffee - 8:40 AM ~**

 _ **No One's POV:**_

Stella entered through her favorite cafe. It was nothing exquisite or fancy, but it carried a homely and cozy atmosphere. A melody played through the cafe's speakers. A delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee and scents of breakfast swarmed around her. Families were seated in tables. Giggles and laughter could be from children running around the cafe. Two kids, presumably siblings, were fighting over a chocolate donut. Stella smiled, feeling a little light-hearted after watching the scene before her.

For the first time since yesterday, she managed to let out a smile. A small one, but a smile nonetheless. She cruised through the small crowds and stood in line. She crossed her arms and waited patiently until her turn came to order.

"Hey, Stella!" the waitress greeted her.

Stella smiled, "Hey, Roxy. How's it going?"

"Mornings are the worst, you know. Rush hour and all. Anyways, you'll have your usual then?" the magenta-haired girl asked.

Stella nodded. "Yeah and make it a take-out, please."

Roxy nodded. "Sure thing. That'll be $15.18."

Stella nodded and whipped out her credit card. Before long, she received her order. "Thanks, Roxy," she smiled.

"No probs! Have a great day, Stel!" Roxy greeted her back with a wave.

Stella grinned and grabbed her order consisting of a simple breakfast meal with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and chicken biscuit. As she turned around to leave, her mind couldn't help but wander back to yesterday _again._ The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Her mind went to paranoia at the plausible thought that Jason might've been cheating behind her this whole time.

 _What if everything they shared had been a lie?_

She sighed as a lump formed in her throat. In the pits of her heart, she knew the answer. Jason probably cheated on her this whole time without her knowledge. They usually went to the movies or somewhere else outside, but she had only visited his house very few times.

Lost in her own thoughts, Stella let out a sudden 'oof' as she collided with something hard. She gasped when she heard someone grunt before the sound of spilled coffee filled the air. "Oh my gosh, I'm so, so, so sorry!" she babbled guiltily, covering her mouth with shock.

The man in front of her turned around, and Stella appeared momentarily stunned. He was around 6'2'' with broad shoulders and a well-built physique. He had dark brown hair that gently cascaded just over his eyes which were also a dark molten brown. He was incredibly handsome, but that's not what caught her attention. There was a powerful aura around him that, for a moment, sent a little chill down her spine. Even he appeared startled but only for a split second before he quickly shook off the surprise. He looked at her with cold, emotionless eyes and crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going," she said again a little timidly this time.

He stared at her for a moment before speaking, "You can say that again. You owe me a fresh coffee."

Stella raised an eyebrow at his tone, his effect slowly wearing off on her. He didn't sound downright rude, but his tone held an edge. Seriously? She's getting a glare for spilling a coffee?

 _Man, chill. I'll buy you a new one, jeez,_ Stella thought sourly.

"Oh, jeez, what happened here?!" Roxy came out of nowhere and complained about the spilled mess.

"Roxy, I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I'll pay for it&mdash" Stella started with a guilty frown.

"No, it's okay. I'll take care of it. It's on the house for you, Stel. Go on. You seem a little upset," Roxy warmly smiled at the blonde. Stella sighed in relief as she thanked in gratitude. She turned her attention back to the unbelievably rude stranger and gave him a cold look of her own. She whizzed past him while muttering something along the lines of what a jerk he was. She made sure he heard it as she went past him.

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Living Room - 9:30 AM ~**

Stella took off her shoes and tossed her bag aside. She flopped on the couch and set her breakfast aside. This day barely started and she already wanted it to be over. She went out to hopefully get some peace of mind but all she ended up with was a disaster.

Stella glared at the air, lost in her own thoughts about her recurring nightmare since yesterday. She thought Jason was someone who was sweet and charming. He brought up the _topic_ last month. She had been surprised. It was so quick in the relationship. When she said no, he accepted with a smile. And to be honest, that only made her love him even more. She just never knew he had been glaring at her in his mind.

"Ugh," she groaned as she tossed her head back in frustration. She thought a walk to her favorite cafe would clear her mind but _no._ She ran into some jerk who apparently happened to make a big deal out of nothing.

The phone rang causing her to glare at the device. "What now?!" she grumbled into the air before picking up the call.

"Hello?!" she sighed irritably into the phone.

She gasped when she heard a chuckle from the other end.

"Well, isn't someone mad?" Stella heard her mom speaking with amusement in her tone.

"Mom!" Stella's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry!" she gasped.

Luna let out a soft, worried sigh. "Stella, this is serious. We're worried about you," she spoke from the other end.

Stella felt the urge to go and bang her head right against the wall for her stupidity. "...Guys, I'm fine. Seriously," she silently pleaded for them to change the topic.

"...We understand you're going through a tough time, sweetie...But don't let that stop you. You're a strong girl. Remember that."

"Thanks, Mom."

"And...uh, we actually need to talk to you about something else. One of our friends' son is in LA right now. And he needs a place to stay," her dad took over the phone.

Stella raised an eyebrow at the phone before placing it in her ear again. "Okay...?"

"...And he'll be staying in our house for a while&mdash"

Stella gasped. "Excuse me?!" she blinked in shock. "...Dad, I'm not staying with some dude!" she stubbornly said.

Radius sighed, expecting the reaction. "Look, sweetie, I'm really sorry. We really are. Normally, we wouldn't exactly agree either, but we know his parents quite well, and he can be trusted."

Stella sighed. "...Dad...there's a limit to favors. Honestly. You're seriously okay with me living with some random guy?" she asked, confused.

"He's not a random guy, sweetheart. He's a good lad and has a good head on his shoulders. We trust him completely," her dad tried to reassure her.

Stella grew silent. She's not pleased with this sudden arrangement. She just wanted to be alone and mope.

Sensing her silence for far too long, she heard a sigh from the other end. "You know what? We understand. Don't worry. I'll tell them," her dad tried.

Great. Now she felt all guilty.

"Uh...dad? On second thoughts, I...uh...guess...he...uh...he can stay..." she managed to fumble out.

"... Look, Stella, we don't want you to be uncomfortable. Are you really sure about it?" Radius asked.

 _It's not like you gave me a choice,_ Stella grumbled under her breath. "Uh...yeah, sure. Um...how old is the kid?"

Her parents laughed heartily. "Kid? He's two years older than you."

 _Twenty-three years?_ Great. It's not like she's reeling from a breakup with a douchebag or anything.

"Alright, baby. We have to go. Take care of yourself, okay? Love you!" Luna spoke into the phone from beside Radius.

A second later, Stella sighed when the line was cut. Today's probably the worst day ever and it's not even ten in the morning.

Sighing one more time, she set her breakfast on the table. Ahh... _food_. This is probably the only good thing that came out of today. She opened her chicken biscuit and was about to take a bite when the bell rang.

She dropped the biscuit down in frustration. _Once...once...just once, let me be in peace._ "If it's that guy...I swear to god..." she grumbled under her breath, scowling at this stupid, ridiculous arrangement. She stood up and stomped over to the front door with irritation all over her features. The doorbell rang again.

"Hold your horses, jeez!" she muttered before opening the door. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing in front of her. It was the same guy she bumped into at the cafe.

"You're the jerk from the diner!" Stella exclaimed without filtering her words.

He smirked. "And you're the brat from earlier."

Stella crossed her arms. For real?

She looked behind him for any luggage before he snapped his fingers in her face.

"My bags will be here soon, so yeah. It's me you'll be living with," he finished with a smirk, answering her question. Stella blinked. She paused for a moment before something clicked in her mind.

"Wait a second. You knew who I was back there, didn't you?" she asked dumbly.

He nodded before inviting himself into the house. He gently pushed her aside before waltzing inside and flopping on one of the couches. She looked at him dumbly. What was this guy's deal?! Coming to her senses, she slammed the door shut and stormed to where he was. She stood in front of him, who was so conveniently seated on the white couch with his leg crossed over the other.

"Are you always this comfortable in other peoples' houses?" she hissed.

He smirked. "Stella, I have no problem living with you. Though I have to admit, I'd have preferred someone more pleasant to deal with."

She scoffed. "Dude, you don't even know me!"

"I know you knock people and their coffee over," he retorted rudely.

"That was an accident! Are you that much of a jerk to hold a grudge over something like that?!" she scolded. Talk about _beyond_ rude.

"Well, I'm not happy with this dumb arrangement either. But whatever. It's forced upon me just as I'm sure it was with you," he said, not quite answering her question.

"That doesn't mean you can be rude and expect people to be okay with it!"

"Uh, huh. So where's my room?" he looked around, completely ignoring her. He stood up and moved around her, taking a good look at the surroundings that he will have to get accustomed to.

Stella looked at him, clearly bewildered. He was uh... _interesting?_ Honestly, she's never met anyone with a messed up personality.

"Um...you can use the guest room. It's end of the hallway to the right," she told him awkwardly. Well, if she's going to stay with this rude jerk, she might as well _try_ bearing with him.

"Great," he hummed.

"Wait!" Stella stopped him. He had taken a few steps before he stopped in his tracks again.

"What's your name?" Stella asked, embarrassed.

He slightly smirked and turned his head to the side. "Brandon."

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed the chapter even though it's short. Thank you for reading :)**


	3. Infuriating Men

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **To the reviewers for Chapter 2: Thank you soooooooooo much!**_

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - 12:15 AM ~**

Stella gloomily sat in the living room trying to process everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours. The whole Jason thing rattled her to no end. She probably would've been fine if he had simply broken up with her instead. She would've been just as upset, sure, but at least then she can consider him as a good friend. But now? She sighed.

"Where's the iron stand?" A voice spoke, startling her. She jumped slightly when she saw none other than Brandon standing in front of her.

"I'm sorry. Say what now?" she asked, feeling a little tired.

"I need to iron my clothes, if you don't mind," he crossed his arms and stared at her pointedly.

She sighed again for the umpteenth time before standing up. "One would think that this is your house instead of mine," she muttered sourly, shooting him a small glare. "There's one in your room," she mumbled. She walked down the hallway with him following her a few paces behind. She entered his room, expecting a pigsty because, well, boys aren't the best-known examples for cleanliness. But she was half surprised when the room looked so different. _So organized._ His bags (which arrived a while ago through some transport that she could care less about) were unpacked and later shoved into a corner. The desk was filled with huge books (not hers) neatly stacked to one side along with stationary. Wait. Why...were there _so_ many bags?

"Um how long will you be staying here?" she turned around asking him.

He looked down on her and shrugged, "A month." He crossed his arms and his lips upturned into a smirk again. "But since I have to live with you, I'll try my best to get out of here as soon as I can."

Her eyes widened. He was insulting her back to back. She suppressed a growl.

 _"He's a good lad who has a good head on his shoulders."_

Stella scoffed. This 'good lad' clearly had no respect for women or, in general, anyone. She counted from one to ten and backwards to control her anger. Storming over to a cabinet, she took out the iron box and shoved it into his chest. "There you go," she snapped.

Brandon chuckled at her reddened face. He watched with a playful smile as he stared at her retreating figure. She was definitely interesting and maybe this visit wouldn't be as horrible as he had initially thought.

Stella, on the other hand, fumed as she stomped to her bedroom. She jumped onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. "Jerk. Ass. Idiot&mdash"

Just then, a loud blaring music could be heard from the other room leaving Stella speechless. What was wrong with today?! _Oh, I don't know! Everything?!_ She scowled deeply. This guy she's known (barely) for one hour comes acting like he owns this place. Who was he anyway? She stood up and stormed to his room. _Again._

"BRANDON!" she yelled. She watched him ironing a white, crisp shirt. She felt an incoming headache and clutched her head. The result was from last night's non-stop crying and this dumb music is not helping her. She sighed when he decided not to pay attention to her.

She walked over to him and waved her hands in front of his face. "Excuse me!"

"Could you cut it out? You're blocking my view, blondie," he coolly replied.

"First of all, this blonde has a name. And second, you're too loud," Stella tried to explain as calmly as possible without bursting into flames.

"Freedom of speech and expression. The first amendment in the Constitution. Don't tell me you didn't study that in high school," he shot back without even bothering to look at her.

She stared at him. "Um. Just a wild thought and all, but you know that this is kind of like _my_ house, right?" Stella sarcastically asked.

He looked up at her with a small smirk on his face. "Really?" He chuckled when he saw Stella look stunned for a second. He returned back to his work without sparing her a second glance.

"Well, it is! Can you please acknowledge that there's another person living here?!" Stella asked, exasperated. She's not ready for this kind of vocal workout. Sighing, she clutched her head half out of annoyance and half out of headache. He stared at her for a moment before reaching over and turning down the music.

"There. Now get out," he pointed to the door. Stella glared before walking out the door. She walked over to her room and sat on the bed, fuming. First of all, she's never met such an infuriating personality. And second, she never felt so insulted in all her life. "Just who does he think he is?!" she muttered. Sighing, she clutched her head again and lay back on the bed. She lay there still and took deep breaths. She tried to still her racing mind, but to no avail. She unconsciously played with her hair.

She looked around her room. The walls were painted a soft yellow (one of her favorite colors) with hints of orange/red. Her bed was padded with shades of light yellow and white. She eyed the pictures around her room. Many of them were of her and her parents. Some of them included her and her best friends. However, the one on the nightstand was of her and Jason's.

Sighing in sadness, she closed her eyes, trying her best not to cry again. But the uninvited tears came out anyway. Stella tried to best to conceal her tears, but they soon came out in choked sobs. She freely cried into her pillow, letting out her pent-up emotions. She let out a cry of heartbroken anguish.

She let out a small, surprised gasp when she heard a knock on the door. _Oh, no...I totally forgot that Brandon's here!_ Stella sat up and quickly wiped away her tears. She took a quick glance at the mirror and cleared her face of any tear streaks.

She opened the door to reveal the handsome brunette. He wasn't even looking at her. Ugh. _Typical._ She stood there wondering what to do when he pushed her aside and invited himself into her room. Stella blinked when he walked over to her bed in the center of the room and sat at the edge.

"..." she stared at him wordlessly. _Did he just...?_

"What's wrong?" he asked while crossing his arms. _Huh?_

"It's none of your business," Stella stubbornly snapped.

"It kind of is when you crying like it's the end of the world is disturbing me from doing my work. So...can we get this over with?" he asked.

"Why you...!" Stella picked up a stress ball from a little table beside her and threw it at him. He rolled his eyes and caught the ball with ease, stunning her with his slick reflexes. "How does your family tolerate you?!" she screamed. "You've only been here for one hour and I already hate you."

He chuckled, her outburst clearly not affecting him in any way. "Really? Well that makes one of us. I don't have time to think about you, let alone hate you."

Stella facepalmed. To be honest, she's never met _anyone_ (and she's met a lot of people in her life) who made her this mad with one sentence.

Brandon smirked at the girl in front of him before turning his attention to the room. He half expected the room to be decorated in a ridiculous pink color and stuffed with teddy bears. But thankfully, since his eyes are still alive, he'll give this room his seal of approval.

"Can you get out?"

He paid no heed and watched her room with acute interest. There were no pictures of celebrities, idols, or whatever. A person's surroundings could say a lot of things about him/her. Well, this girl was certainly someone who's close to her family judging by the amount of pictures. And the fact that she lives with her parents is another factor.

"Brandon!" Stella snapped to get his divided attention.

He turned back to her.

Stella sighed in relief when he looked at her. She opened her mouth only to be interrupted by the doorbell. She shut her eyes tightly and balled her hands into fists. "Ugh," she sighed deeply. "Today. Is. Just. Not. My. Day!" she cursed as she stormed out of the bedroom. Once she left, he couldn't help but shake his head at the amusing blonde. To be perfectly honest, when he was told that he is to stay with the precious daughter and heir to Radar Industries, he truly expected nothing but a spoilt bimbo. But thankfully, she wasn't what he initially had expected. _And,_ she's one of the very few females (if not the only) he's seen who's not all over him.

Stella, meanwhile, stood gaping in shock when a tall brunet stood in front of her, fuming.

"Who the hell do you think you are dissing me like that yesterday, _you bitch!"_

 _"...Jason...?"_ she softly murmured, her eyes in a shocked trance. Her eyes stung with tears again for the umpteenth time today. The times she had spent with him, he had made her feel no less than a queen. And now here he was again, but this time it's different. She felt her heart cringe with hurt.

"Why weren't you picking up my calls?!" he growled as he took a step forward. Stella instinctively took a step backwards, truly afraid.

"Jason, you need to leave. We're not together anymore, so leave me alone!" Stella spoke through her tears.

"That's not up to you&mdash"

"Stella, would you mind keeping it down? I need to study. Or are you that dumb enough not to realize that you're too loud?" a voice interrupted them both from behind. _Brandon._ Stella shut her eyes angrily. Really? That's what he's gonna say to her right now...? She crossed her arms and looked at the floor, feeling humiliated.

"And who the hell are you?!" Jason shouted at the unknown face behind Stella.

"I live here," Brandon replied with no emotion in his voice.

Jason's nostrils flared red and his fists were clenched. He turned back to the blonde. "You _bitch._ You've been cheating on me this whole time with that...with that _scumbag_?!" Jason pointed to Brandon with a disgusted look.

Brandon turned his attention back to Stella. She looked as if she's about to cry again. So...this new intruder is the reason she cried earlier?

Stella tried her best to not let her tears fall. She raised her head defiantly. "Scumbag? At least he's a man. Although I can't say the same about you," she hissed.

Jason glared at the insult. "Why, you little...!"

Stella's eyes widened when he raised his hand. A tear escaping, she instinctively covered her face, expecting a painful blow to her face any second. But it never came. Instead, she felt a rush of air move past her. She opened her eyes when she heard a moan of pain and a surprised grunt.

Jason was pressed to the wall by none other than her new arrogant roommate. Stella covered her mouth when she saw none other than Brandon twist Jason's arm behind his back. His other hand pressed the latter's face tightly against the wall.

"Man, let go!" Jason whined.

Brandon twisted his arm even tighter, making Jason howl in pain.

"Al-Alright, I'm sorry!" Jason choked out.

"Try that again and I'll throw your sorry ass in jail without any convictions. Understood?" Brandon asked calmly.

"Y-y-yes!"

"I didn't quite hear that. Do you understand?" Brandon smirked as he twisted his arm even further.

"Y-yes!" Jason breathed painfully.

Stella decided to interfere. She rushed to the men and gripped Brandon's arm from behind. "Please. Let him go," she softly said while looking up at him. He looked down at her and then back at the wimp. A second later, Brandon released him with a hard shove. Jason fell to the floor and cradled his arm. Brandon crossed his arms and looked down at the brunet sharply. Jason looked at Brandon fearfully. He quickly picked himself up and bolted out the door in no time.

Brandon walked to the door and locked it. He turned back to Stella who simply stared at the floor. He scowled at her. "You could've gotten seriously hurt if I wasn't here. Are you that stupid that you have to make him mad?!"

Stella sniffled. She stayed silent as she heard this new stranger berate her. To be honest, he was right in his own snobbish kind of way. "...Maybe I am," she cried. She quickly wiped away her tears but more threatened to come. Brandon sighed as he watched her cry. _Girls are such drama queens._ Before he could say anything, he watched her walk out of the room quickly. A few seconds later, he heard the door to her room slam.

Stella sat on her bed with her knees brought up to her chest and cried. Her body shook violently as she silently cried. She wasn't even allowed to cry in peace or else that new jerk will probably fry her brain with new insults. She glanced up with a gasp when the door opened. Apparently she forgot to lock it. She watched Brandon stand in her doorway as he silently stared at her.

"What do you want now? Am I disturbing you?!" she hissed angrily.

He raised his hands in surrender. "No. I came to tell you that it's past lunch time. I'm hungry and I'm sure you must be too."

"...Seriously...?" she whispered in continued shock. "That's what you're going to say to me right now...?"

He shrugged. "I don't know you very well to offer you any comfort. So, why bother trying?"

Her eyes flared with newfound anger. He was only making her feel worse than she already felt.

He placed his hands in his pockets and calmly walked to her bed. "Get up," he ordered.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. At least show me where the ingredients are. I'm not eating outside everyday."

Stella blinked. How come every sentence he uttered threw her off so badly? Can't he even _try_ to comfort her? Not that she expected him to but seriously! If she were in his shoes, she'd either try to console him or at least stay out of the way. But here he was asking where the ingredients are. _Honestly?_

"Oh come on. Stop crying already. He's not all that great, you know," he scoffed as he grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the bed. Stella let out a yelp as he dragged her out of the room with her practically flying in tow.

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Kitchen - 1:10 PM ~**

Brandon let go of her arm as he moved forward and started raiding all of the cabinets. Stella crossed her arms as she stared at him. "Why bother asking if you were gonna hijack my house anyway?!" she muttered.

"Eureka! Do you like pasta?" he asked while turning around. He wiggled a few of the packets in her face, leaving her to scowl. She _loved_ pasta, but she was too angry to even answer him right now.

He stared at her for a second. "Go and wash your face. I'm not cooking with you looking like a night troll in front of me."

Stella gasped and sharply faced him again. _Night troll?!_ "Did you just call me a troll?!" she angrily asked.

He nodded. "Yup. Off you go now." He turned around and strolled to where the stove was.

Stella stared at him, clearly stumped. With a frustrated sigh, she uttered a stream of curses while waltzing to the nearest bathroom. She, however, missed Brandon's amused smile being directed at her.

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Bedroom - Bathroom - 1:14 PM ~**

Stella sighed at her face in the mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her face looked tired and exhausted beyond measure. She felt a little sweaty. One word to sum up her appearance: _disaster._

"I think I'll just take a shower," she murmured. She quickly took off her clothes and stepped into the tub.

* * *

 **Forty-five minutes later...**

 **~ Stella's Home - Kitchen - 2:00 PM ~**

Stella stepped into the kitchen. Her eyes pleasantly widened at the delicious aroma.

Brandon looked up to see Stella walking towards him. Her hair was damp as if she just showered and she changed into a light yellow floral dress. "You seem to have taken my advice a little too seriously, don't you think?" he smirked.

"Buzz off," she snapped as she came to stand next to him. She peered over his shoulder. "Um what is that?" she pointed to a strange looking dish on the pan. There was pasta inside it but there was something else with it.

"You'll find out later," he murmured as he stirred.

She sighed at his response and moved to the cabinets. "We really have to go grocery shopping later," Stella mused as she eyed the slowly emptying cabinets.

"We?" he asked, turning to her incredulously.

She faced him with a roll of her eyes. "Uh, yeah. You're staying here with no rent. The least you can do is at least pay for some of the food."

He rolled his eyes and faced the stove. He soon turned it off. "Set the table, blondie," he ordered.

"Did you forget my name or something? Stop calling me blondie!" Stella huffed.

"Why? Aren't you one?" he retorted without looking at her.

"You must really hate me or something," she muttered while going to 'set the table' like he rudely asked or yet, rather, _demanded_ her to do so.

He came into the dining room a minute later carrying two trays of huge containers.

"What the...?" Stella gaped as he set down a completed dish of farfalle pasta. Along with that, he set down a plate of brownies, chicken tenders, and breadsticks. "Did you make all this? ...In a span of less than one hour?" she asked incredulously.

He sat down from across her and plainly shook his head. "I ordered the chicken tenders and breadsticks," he answered.

"Oh..." Stella trailed off nervously. If all of this is just for himself, it would be embarrassing if she dug in. The food in front of her was a _lot,_ but...then again, boys did eat a lot. He stared at her, fidgeting. "This is for both of us, Stella," he said, making her look at him.

She blushed and murmured a quick 'thank you' before taking her seat.

"A one time thing, if you will," he smirked, making her sigh again.

"You just had to ruin the moment," she sighed exasperatedly.

"Why, of course. I can't have you thinking that we're friends or anything," he smirked.

"Believe me, I have no intention of that," she scowled. Honestly...just how dare he?

He chuckled and took a bite of the pasta. "So...what did you see in him anyway? His looks or his popularity?"

"Excuse you, I'm not that shallow!" Stella defended herself.

"Maybe not. But you sure seemed cozy enough to allow him to hit you," he said pointedly.

Stella looked away from his dark brown eyes, clearly hurt. "He was never like that..." she said softly while picking her food.

He watched her sadly sigh. "So, why the sudden change?" he pressed on.

Stella sighed. She didn't really want to relive the whole memory. But she also wanted to tell someone whom she's close to but definitely not a stranger. "He...um...he wanted something more...from me...and I refused," she sadly admitted anyway.

His eyes slightly widened. He observed the look on her face. It was a look of sadness and humiliation. "He's not worth it, Stella," he said making her glance up in shock. He chuckled. "I don't exactly hate you, you know."

A second later, a smile broke out on her face. "Thank you," she softly said. He ushered her to continue eating. With a small smile, she placed a bite of pasta into her mouth.

 _"Yet,"_ he finished with a devilish smirk.

Her fork slammed down on her plate as her face flushed with irritation. _Again_. He was honestly so infuriating! Can't he tell that maybe she's upset right now? And maybe hearing "I don't hate you _yet_ " is not exactly someone with a broken heart wants to hear at the moment.

"You're the biggest jerk I've ever met," she blurted.

He rolled his eyes. "And you're the biggest crybaby I've ever met," he retorted rudely.

"I am not a crybaby, thank you very much!" Stella huffed.

"Uh huh," he nodded his head disbelievingly while eating and ignoring her as usual.

Stella felt the urge to bang her head against the table. While Jason made her cry to no end, this man in front of her drove her nuts. Talk about a strong contrast of emotions.

She silently prayed that this month pass by soon. Or else, she'd probably admit herself into an asylum for an emotional bipolar disorder.

* * *

 _ **As always, I'd greatly appreciate what you guys think. :)**_


	4. Conflicts

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **To EACH and EVERY reviewer: THANK YOU SO MUCH. Thank you.**_

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home -** _ **The next morning**_ **\- 7:10 AM ~**

 _ **Stella's POV:**_

I sleepily rubbed my eyes as I stretched. What am I even doing up at this hour? To be honest...I have no idea. To my surprise, I didn't cry myself to sleep last night, so there was no reason for me to wake up with a headache. Instead...I think I heard a bomb go off this morning, which jerked me awake.

I ran my hand through my heavily tangled hair. Suddenly, another explosive sound went off which made me scream and nearly fall off my bed. I ran to the source of the sound: the living room. I screamed again. But this time, it was out of raw frustration.

"BRANDON!"

He looked pretty chilled wearing a black T-shirt and black track pants. He lay down in the recliner like he owned this house. But that's not what bothered me. _Yet._ What _really_ pissed me off is that he had the TV on at seven in the morning. _SEVEN IN THE MORNING!_

But, of course, he ignored me as usual. My sleepiness wore off and I stormed to him. I blocked his view of vision and waved my hands in front of his face.

"Good morning, blonde creature," he smirked.

"Blonde _creature?!"_ I scoffed, rolling my eyes at him. "Dude, I'm a human."

"You didn't like blondie, so... Man, you're so picky," he complained. "And move. I'm busy." He sharply shoved me aside which led me to sharply gasp as I stumbled backwards. My knee hit the table behind me and I let out a yelp as I fell backwards. I expected my back to hit the glass table behind me but an arm snaked itself around my waist, holding me steady. I slowly opened my eyes to see chocolate brown eyes staring down at me.

In a split second, he pulled me back and made sure that I was steadily standing. His arm still rested on my waist. I looked at him with a racing heart although I didn't know why. "You can't even walk properly," he taunted as he let go and resumed his position on the couch. I growled as I hit his head angrily.

"Ow!" he yelled as he dramatically clutched his heart and head. He glared at me but I didn't care. This boy obviously thinks it's okay to go as far as he liked. "That's the thank you I get for saving your neck from breaking?" he glared.

"No, that's the gratitude you get for thinking it's okay to say whatever you want!" I hissed at him. I stubbornly crossed my arms and nodded at the TV. "What the hell is that?!"

"That's a television, of course," he replied.

"Gee, really? What a knowledge you've given me, Your Highness," I sarcastically replied. "Who plays a horror movie at seven in the morning? _Freaking seven in the morning!"_ I vented.

"Me," he stubbornly said.

"Man, I don't know how things work in your weird house but things roll differently here."

"Your parents clearly gave me permission that I can make myself home here, so that's exactly what I'm doing," he smirked as he turned up the volume.

 _For Pete's sake!_ I cringed when I saw a woman scream out of nowhere. I decided that it was probably best to flee back to my room or go to the kitchen and get some food into my stomach.

 _Let's see..._

I chose the latter option and freshened myself before and hopping straight to the kitchen. At least this'll help me take my mind off him. I whipped out my cellphone and started my favorite playlist. I sang along to the songs while I prepared breakfast for MYSELF today. There's no way I'm doing anything for that insensitive jerk. Letting him stay here is _more than enough._

I'm a pretty good cook, but I miss my mom's cooking. Too bad she's not here right now. Soon, I smiled when the scent of the French toast and strawberry waffles filled my nostrils.

"Ahh, great. I'm starving," a voice spoke from directly behind me, startling me.

"You idiot! Stop sneaking up on me!" I clutched my heart while turning around to face him. He rolled his eyes at my response and went back to sniffing the breakfast. I turned around completely to face him and pushed him back with my hand. " _This_ is for myself. So buzz off," I declared.

"Nonsense. Prepare for yourself again if you wish," Brandon retorted while moving to take a piece of the toast.

I slapped his hand to which he glared to. "That's just rude."

"Oh shut it, blondie," he responded while taking a piece of the toast, this time successfully.

"You're such a child," I muttered. I shook my head at his antics and faced the stove again. I watched him take a plate from the stand and take a few more pieces. He dipped it in syrup and started eating.

"Prepare some more, would you?" he ordered.

"For real? _"_ I asked incredulously. I'm still baffled at his attitude. I've _never_ met someone with this kind of behavior. It's not childish. It's more like I-Don't-Care-If-You-Die kind of thing. How does this guy make friends?

"Dead serious," he nodded. I resisted the urge to slap the smirk right off his face. But hey, I've got manners which this new handsome stranger apparently did _not._ I occasionally ate while turning the toast over on the pan. I dipped the syrup from the bowl on his plate and started munching. Hmmm, I am a good cook.

"That's my syrup, you know," he stated annoyingly.

I glared at him again, "Which you so conveniently took or, rather, stole from _MY_ fridge!" With the amount of glaring he's making me do, I'm gonna end up with premature wrinkles.

"So, are you gonna do something productive today or laze off during your vacation?" he asked. I scoffed. That's pretty much asking me if I'm gonna be useless or not. Who asks questions like that?! Him, apparently.

"I have to study, you know," I defended myself. It wasn't a complete lie. With the whole Jason thing going on these days, I didn't get a chance to study at all. I got into Princeton University to pursue my Masters in Computer Science. My dream has always been to follow my parents' footsteps. They're geniuses in the technical fields and I hope I become that way someday.

"How much more are you going to eat? You're not gonna be twenty-three forever, you know," I stared at him gorging down everything.

He's probably had about five waffles and over ten pieces of toast. "I'll be fine. Worry about yourself," he looked at me as he gestured to my figure.

I looked down at myself and then back at him. I ignored the smirk on his face and stared at him confused. I'm not fat. I work out occasionally except I didn't do any of that the past month. Hey, I have a good excuse that I had exams, graduation, and Jason thing to deal with.

"I'm not fat," I said to him.

He shook his head. "But you trip often. Oh and you also knock people over," he smirked. He was obviously talking about the coffee incident and me almost falling on my face a little while ago. _Give it up already._ Talk about holding grudges for such miniscule things.

Just then, my phone started to ring. I smiled when I saw that it was from Mom. I set it on speaker as I ate and cooked.

"Hey, Mom," I answered with a grin on my face. I definitely felt better than I did this morning. Although the very thought of Jason brought a frown to my face.

"Hey, sweetie! I didn't expect you to be up so early," my mom replied. There was a smile in her voice, probably pleased that I greeted her cheerfully just now. I, however, glared at Brandon. He tried to stifle a laugh. Yeah, I didn't expect myself to be up so early either. But what can you do when you hear the TV blaring with horror sound effects and screaming people?

"Yeah...can't sleep," I answered sourly.

"So how are you and Brandon getting along? Are you guys friends yet?"

My face reddened. I face-palmed. "Mom, the phone's on speaker and he's standing right here and stealing all my food," I said dully. He tried to stifle another laugh at my response.

"Morning, Mrs. Solaria," he greeted politely leaving me to speechlessly stare at him. Well, wouldn't it be nice if he used that tone with me? My mornings would be much more pleasant.

"Good morning, son," my mom greeted. I glared at the phone. _Son?_ Why do my parents dote this guy so much? He's been nothing but a royal pain in my face and he's only been here for a day now. _Less than a day, actually._

"Mom, I'll call you later," I interrupted their bonding session and quickly cut the phone. I quickly texted saying again that I'll call her later. As P.S., I also added that this brunette is driving me nuts and that I didn't appreciate his presence. I hit send and set my phone down.

I turned to him and waved the spatula in his face while speaking. "Do you know my parents that well?"

He smirked, "Why? Are you jealous?"

I scoffed, "Of what exactly?"

He chuckled. Then he slowly nodded, "To answer your question, I do. Your parents frequently visit New York while you preferred to stay here and did who-knows-what."

I facepalmed at the last phrase. He made it seem as if I became a criminal in the short time my parents left me alone. I slapped his arm. "I was studying, _thank you very much!_ "

He smirked, "I didn't say anything, Stella. No need to get all grouchy."

I huffed in annoyance. "Are you done now? I'm hungry too, you know. You've been gorging my breakfast down your throat for the past half hour now."

He nodded, "You ate my lunch yesterday. Only fair I pay you back."

"You said you cooked it for both of us."

"Whatever, blondie. The point is I shared. Only fair that you do the same," he smirked. He took the plate and washed it in the sink. I shook my head with a sigh.

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Back Porch - 6:30 PM ~**

I spent today in peace, away from the obnoxious fellow inside.

I was leisurely sitting in the caged hanging hammock in my backyard. The backyard is my favorite place in the house. My house is a part of a quiet neighborhood that overlooked a large, lively lake. I had a textbook in front of me. I initially whipped it out to do some advance studying but however, it wasn't working. I breathed taking in the peaceful scenery. The sun glowed, illuminating the clean waters even more.

I sighed sadly. _If only..._

I shook my head trying to shake off the depression I felt right now. I placed the textbook in my lap and struggled to focus. It didn't take long for me to get lost in studies as I occasionally took notes.

I bit my lip as I tried to understand a new concept but my concentration broke when my phone suddenly rang. I need to set the 'Do not disturb' option or something whenever I study. I sighed and picked it up without bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hellooo?" I answered while still reading.

"Hey, sweetie," dad's voice patched through. I heard mom yell a hello in the background. My eyes lit up.

"Daddy! Hey, Mom!" I smiled genuinely into the phone.

"Just called in to see what you're doing," they said.

"Eh just stuck on something I'm studying on," I sighed.

"Really? Well, why don't you ask Brandon? Maybe he can help..." mom piped up from the other end. "He's pursuing his doctorate in the same subfield as you. He's a gold medalist in Masters'. That's the reason he's staying in LA at the moment." My eyes widened at that information. _Doctorate...?_ That hunk of attitude is a gold medalist? I nearly dropped my phone in shock.

"Oh...um thanks, mom," I breathed disbelievingly. We talked for a bit more before I hung up.

My mind still pondered over the spontaneous conversation I just had with my mom. I mean...so basically, that vile of snide remarks in the bedroom is a genius? I never saw this coming. Wow...you really don't know anyone. I was too busy drowning in my self-pity to even wonder what Brandon is doing here. I bit my lip as I eyed my book again. So I have to literally swallow my pride and go ask him questions?

I groaned and banged my head against my notebook. Ahh, that felt _so good._ Groaning again, I picked myself off the hammock and headed back inside the house. I had to drag my feet to his room as I moved closer. I took a deep breath as I stood in front of his door.

I bit my lip as I knocked on his door.

"What?" he asked rudely from inside. I poked my head inside. I was surprised when he was at his desk, studying quietly and seriously. He looked utterly studious as he read from a huge textbook and scribbled something in a notebook.

"Are you busy?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered monotonously. I _had_ to resist the urge to scream at his pompous attitude. He could've at least asked what the hell I was doing... _But no._ The great Brandon Whatever-His-Last-Name-Is (I need to find that out) is too good for people like me. _Anyways._

"No, seriously. Are you really busy?" I asked again.

"Busy enough to answer you," he answered again in that same rude tone. I balled my fists. _Calm down, Stel. You need his help._ I took a few deep breaths. Sighing again, I pushed the door wide open and walked towards him. He didn't even bother looking up at me. I smiled at an imaginary vision of me smashing my textbook against his head. Too bad it's not real.

"I told you I'm busy. Get out," he ordered.

Ugh. Half of me was ready to take his advice and get out the damn door. The other half, however, hesitated. It would take me a long time to study by myself. Besides, I get a chance to see if he's really a 'gold medalist'.

"I need your help," I asked nervously.

"I can tell," he smirked while not looking up at me. God, _that attitude._

"Brandon!" I shouted to get his attention.

"I'm listening, princess," he answered smoothly still reading from his textbook.

"Can you explain this to me?" I asked swallowing the last bit of pride I had.

His pen stopped moving. Pausing for a moment, he looked up at me with a smirk, "What's in it for me?"

I blinked. I looked at him dumbly. "Um...a burger?"

He chuckled. "Come on. Let's get this over with."

I scowled, "Can't you even attempt to be at least a one percent nicer?"

He nodded to the book I'm holding. "Is this the topic?" he asked.

I sighed. _Guess not._ I gave him the textbook and he ignored my glare. _Typical._

"This is an easy one, you know," he smirked while looking at me.

I sighed. Is he going to gloat in my face right now?

He continued, "The radial basis neural networks are those networks that use radial basis functions as activation functions." He continued explaining as he pointed to each of the complicated diagrams. I nodded as I slowly began to understand. He explained it to me slowly (to mock me later, no doubt), but he did do a good job of it. We probably sat there for an hour that just consisted of him talking and me either listening or asking doubts. By the time we were done, I was not only free of doubts, but I was also impressed. He spoke with understanding and ease in his voice.

"Um, thank you," I smiled as I stood up.

He nodded as he handed me my book. I quickly walked to get out of the room when he spoke again. "Make me three chicken burgers and pizza for dinner, would you?" he demanded on my way out.

I turned to face him. "...Seriously?"

He shrugged, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

I huffed as I stormed out of the room but not before I heard him chuckle with amusement.

I sighed as I went back outside again. I sat inside the hammock. I cast my books aside and closed my eyes. I feel so frenetic right now that I'm craving for some much-needed peace.

It was getting dark slowly, but the sun hasn't set yet. It beamed at me through its rays. Not many people enjoy the sun, but I love standing under it. I don't easily get sun burns either. It was slightly cloudy, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

A soft summer breeze blew through my face and I enjoyed the serenity. My mind was devoid of any thoughts. The hammock swayed lightly in the wind. The lake shimmered as light of dusk cascaded its rays through the waters. I opened my eyes when I heard distinct joyful squeals. A smile made its way onto my lips when I saw little kids playing near the lake on the opposite of it.

 _Kids..._ so innocent and so full of life and joy...

I wish I could be a kid again. I don't have to worry about anything regarding life. Right now, my life seems scattered. I never imagined heartbreak could be something of this magnitude. Something so huge that you can't think of anything else.

What could possibly be worse than betrayal by your own loves ones?

I wistfully smiled as I gazed onto the two children. A young boy and a younger girl were playing and laughing while their parents watched them with a smile. I'm an only child so I don't know what it's like to have a sibling. But I'm lucky enough to have best friends (who're currently on vacation right now) whom I could _always_ count on. I sighed as I closed my eyes again.

I've accepted it. I accepted the fact that Jason is no longer a part of my life. But it does hurt occasionally.

I remember last week how I was so carefree and so light-spirited! A tear slipped down my cheek as I remembered how last week was. Final exams were over and I passed with flying colors. But that wasn't what cheered me up. I graduated with all of my friends. Even though graduation is a sad moment, it's also a happy one. I smiled to myself as I recalled every good memory of my friends. Musa Melody and Layla Andros...these girls are not only my best friends, but we're literally sisters. Every time we get together, we goof off (which will probably land us in prison someday) or we fight like gangsters (especially me and Layla). Even then, nothing can break the bond of true friendship.

I felt like drifting off when I felt a force vibrate through the hammock. I snapped awake and I scowled when I saw none other than... _surprise, surprise,_ Brandon. "What?" I snapped.

He held up my phone. My eyes widened slightly as I took it from him.

"Next time, don't leave it in my room," he said.

I nodded silently. I'm not in the mood to talk to him.

"What? No comebacks?" he teased.

I shrugged.

"Hmm...either you're too busy feeling sorry for yourself like an idiot or you're just stupid," he said out of the blue, making me snap to him.

Okay...that's it. I've had it with this jerk. Enough was _enough._ Who does he think he is?! Even Musa would never say something like that and _that's saying something for her._ But then again, he's _not_ Musa or Layla. Not even close.

I jumped out of my comfy hammock and glared. "Who the hell do you even think you are? What I feel is none of your damn business! What makes you think you're allowed to say stuff like that?!" I huffed angrily.

"The Constitution's first amendment: freedom of speech," he smirked.

I blinked at his response, clearly stunned. _Is he for real?_

I felt like pulling my hair out. It's amazing how someone can make me angry this quickly. I grabbed my phone and books and rushed past him while cursing to myself. How can he smile, smirk, or whatever like that when I'm so hotheaded at the moment?!

 _Whatever._ One more month of this verbal torture and he'll be out of this house. I rushed into the house and dumped my books on my desk. I can't even get a single moment of peace and quiet. Am I really asking for too much? No, no, I didn't think so.

I need some fresh air. Anywhere but here. I groaned when I heard sound effects suddenly emit from the home theater in the living room. I cannot believe the extent of this guy's nerve. There's this thing called modesty and he apparently is not an owner of it. When people say 'Make yourself at home' to you, you still feel awkward or weird to browse through every crevice of the house. Ugh, not him. Whatever. I rolled my eyes as I exited the room. I resisted the urge to facepalm when I saw him laying on the couch with such leisure similar to the pose I found earlier today.

"Hello?" I said loudly to get his attention. "You're too loud, mister!"

... _Silence._

 _Grrrr..._

I stood in front of him, blocking his field of vision. "Excuse me!"

He turned his eyes from the TV to me for a gracious split second of his time. "Yes, princess?"

"You need to reduce the volume. NOW," I demanded while pointing to the TV.

I was interrupted when I heard my phone suddenly go off in the bedroom, leaving me to sigh and let out a deep exhale. See what I mean about nothing going right for me? Especially during the past few days...

I threw a small glare at him who ignored it as usual and went back to watching HBO. I tiredly made myself to my room and was surprised to see that it was from my parents. It's almost eight over here. So...that means it's around ten over there in NY. Raising an eyebrow, I answered it.

"Hello?" I answered while slamming my bedroom door shut to drown out the horrendous noise outside.

"Hey, baby. How're you?" my mom answered.

"I'm fine...," I answered her, feeling a little odd at her tone. "What about you?"

"...Stella, I'm worried about you. This is strictly serious. When you cry, it hurts us a lot."

"Mom, what're you talking about? I'm fine," I replied confused. I'm not completely fine, but my mom doesn't have to know. I mean, there's no need to worry her.

"How come you didn't tell us that Jason was harassing you?!" Mom sternly asked me.

My eyes widened. "What are you..." I trailed off. _Wait a second..._ Was she referring to yesterday's incident? I didn't tell her. She couldn't have known that unless...

 _Brandon._

"Brandon told you?" I asked angrily into the phone.

"Well&mdash"

"Well, what?!"

"Stella, honey, we understand you're angry&mdash"

 _Oh, I'm 'honey'_ now? Hot, angry tears pooled in my eyes. " _Angry?_ Mom, I'm hurt! How can you guys send that freak to _spy_ on me?! I don't even know him! So, what if we happen to live in the house?! It doesn't give him the right to tattletale on me!"

"It's not Brandon's fault. We were worried, so we asked him to keep an eye on you."

 _Keep an eye on me?_ I scoffed internally. Yeah, right. "It's not his business to take care of me. I'm not a baby. And I'm fine now. So, you can stop asking your spy toy to stop broadcasting," I hissed. I snapped the phone shut, feeling nothing but hurt-fueled anger.

In moments, I opened my door and stormed out to the living room, slamming my bedroom door shut behind me. My fists were clenched white. If I was pissed off at my parents, then I'm ready to kill this guy. I flared at the sight of the running TV and stormed to the outlets to switch it off. I angrily stood in front of him, who looked clearly annoyed.

"I was watching that, blondie," he said rudely.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" I yelled.

I watched him rub his chin in thought. "I think I'm Brandon? I mean, if you think otherwise, I'd be happy to hear about it."

I'm not in the mood for his corny 'jokes'. "Shut up! What gives you the right to talk about me _with my parents?!"_

His eyes widened for a second as I watched realization dawn on him. A second later, he laughed. He crossed his arms and nodded towards my bedroom. "So, that's what the yelling was about? Anyway, your parents asked. I told them. The end."

"Stay out of my business, okay?! It's personal!" I pointed a warning finger at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Personal? If it's personal, then how come I know about it?"

"Gee, buster, I don't know. Maybe 'cuz we're living in the same damn house!" I shouted. He's not really as sensible as he seems. "Next time you relay _anything_ to my parents, I swear I'll&mdash"

"You'll do what exactly?" he smirked. "Stella, from my point of view, you're nothing but a spoilt brat. I bet if that wannabe punk came waltzing through the door with flowers, you'll shamelessly agree to be with him again."

My lips parted open in shock at what he said even though I didn't know why. But I felt as if I've been slapped hard in the face. His comment struck a chord in me.

"You don't know anything about me," I hotly whispered unable to say it any louder. I turned away from him and slowly walked to my bedroom. A tear escaped from my eyes as my mind waltzed back to his comment. His words made me feel lower than dirt. I felt as if I've just been branded the worst kind of name ever given to anyone in humanity.

I cried as I reached my beloved room. My room seems to be the only thing in life in life that's offering me any solace right now. I closed the door behind me. I slid down the door till I fell to my knees. Tears fell down my face faster as I tried to swallow the pain. I hoped against hope that this is just a nightmare. That I'll wake up soon. But...

 ** _There's no worse nightmare than reality._**

* * *

 **A few more days of exams and hopefully, I can get a peace of mind and** _ **REEELLLAAAXXXXXXXXX :D**_

 _ **So, I'd love to know what you guys think x_x**_

 **I'm not that great at writing first person POVs, so I probably _won't_ write them that often anymore. It took me so much effort and time to write this x_x **

**Thank you for reading :)**


	5. A Phone Call

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - Brandon's Room - 2:30 AM ~**

 _ **~No One's POV ~**_

The house was sinfully silent, but of course, it should be. Even though people normally sleep at this time, a certain brown haired male was still very much wide awake. He sighed inaudibly as he lay there on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Somewhere within him, he felt an emotion prick his heart. _Guilt..._

 _Stella..._

He remembered how she looked when he yelled at her and called her an outright brat. What right did he have to do that? He doesn't even know her.

 _"You don't know anything about me."_

He shut his eyes with a sigh trying to get some much needed sleep when all of a sudden, his phone rang out of nowhere. He checked the time and glanced at the phone oddly. "Whoever's calling me better have a good reason," he muttered annoyed as he grabbed it from his nightstand. He frowned when it was from his dad.

"Hello?" he answered worriedly.

...

"WHAT?!" he exclaimed when he heard the news from the other end. "A-a-are you sure...?" A few seconds later, he hang up the phone and sprang up from his bed. He quickly threw on a shirt and a pair of jeans and bolted out the room. He was pretty sure he had it on backwards but oh well. He ran to Stella's room which was obviously closed. To his surprise, it wasn't locked but whatever. He wasn't complaining.

He ran to the sleeping blonde yelling her name. "STELLA! WAKE UP!"

He shook her violently and raised his tone. "Stella, wake up!" She stirred and within a second, she sat up with a jerk, clearly afraid of what he was doing here in her room at this time. "Brandon? What are you...!"

Without a warning, he dragged her out of the bed and eyed what she was wearing. A yellow top and white capris. _Appropriate enough._

"Hey! Let me go! Where are you taking me?!" she screamed afraid as he dragged her out of the room. Her wallet caught his eye and he grabbed it making her glare at him pointedly.

"Stella, we have to go _NOW!_ There's no time, alright?!" he yelled panicked. Stella stared at him worried as they ran out of the house. She locked the door and both of them ran to the car.

He got in the driver's seat and Stella obeyed his instructions to get in the passengers' side. He quickly pulled the car out of the driveway and zipped through the streets. His phone rang and he answered it quickly.

"Dad? WHEN?! WHEN THE HELL WAS THAT?!" he yelled into the phone. Stella eyed him clearly scared. What happened? She watched as Brandon seemed straight up panicked and frankly, it terrified her. She thought the only emotions he had were arrogance and lack of respect for others.

"No, we're coming. Yes, she's here," he answered much more calmly than before. "Fine."

He hung up the phone and tossed it into his pocket.

"Brandon? Is everything okay?" Stella asked anxiously. He sighed and kept his silence for a few moments before speaking. "Stella...I'll explain on the way, okay? But, we have to go now," he said gently as he looked at her. About twenty minutes later, he quickly made a turn that led them straight to the airport. Stella's eyes widened. _What were they doing here?_

He parked the car in the long term parking lot and both of them exited out of the car. Brandon grabbed her hand along with their identification and ran across the lots.

"B-Brandon, what's going on?" Stella asked feeling dread and panic overcome as well. The only common thing that was connected to both him and her were her parents. Did something...? _No._ Stella didn't even want to entertain that possibility. Brandon sensed fear lace into her voice and he didn't have the heart to tell her. He went to the check-in counter and quickly booked two tickets for New York.

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles Domestic Airport - Inside the Plane - 4:00 AM ~**

" _Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign. Please take your seat and fasten your seat belt. And also make sure your seat back and folding trays are in their full upright position."_

Stella buckled her seat belt and Brandon, who sat next to her, did the same. She gripped his arm. "What's wrong?" she asked scared out of her wits. He turned to look at her and spoke quietly, "...your parents..."

"W-what? What happened to them?" She shook his arm in panic trying painfully to urge the answer out of them. _No...please let them be okay! PLEASE PLEASE!_ She prayed fearfully.

"They were in an accident. Stella, they'll be fine, alright? They're being taken into surgery," he said. Stella's eyes widened. _No, no, no._ He's lying. He had to be! This was just another sick joke played by him.

"N-no...you jerk! You're lying, aren't you?!" Stella said with a raised voice, earning a few stares from other passengers. But she didn't care. She refused to believe this nonsense. Stella felt tears fall down her eyes when she saw Brandon's own eyes fill with water. He stared at her sadly before shaking his head 'no'. The answer she dreaded...he gave it to her. _Please...no..._ she thought as her tears fell faster. She never noticed the hand on her shoulder nor did she notice the tear falling from Brandon's eyes.

Stella tried to control herself, but she couldn't. She silently cried all the way during the flight. How can her life change so horribly in a matter of few hours?

 _ **Six hours later...**_

 **~ Lenox Hill Hospital, New York - Local Time: 1:00 PM ~**

Stella opened the doors and jumped out of the taxi before it even stopped.

"Stella, wait!"

She ran inside the large building paying no heed. The moment she entered the edifice, a musky scent of antibiotics and medicine and the typical smell of hospitals entered her nostrils, making her feel queasy instantly. She raced over to the reception, with Brandon in tow.

"Radius and Luna Solaria," Stella panted with tear-filled eyes. The receptionist, a male in his thirties, looked flustered for a second before nodding at the urgent request. He quickly typed the names in the register online. "Ward 4. It's on the first floor," he answered still a little bewildered.

Stella felt tears pour down as she raced across the marble-floored reflective tiles. She climbed up the stairs with Brandon matching her pace beside her. She stopped when she saw the ward number just ahead. Her breath hitched as two doctors roamed around in her field of vision. Her pace slowed as dread and fear overcame her. She marched up to the doctors quickly.

"How are they?!" she shouted. She didn't mean to, but it was fairly instinctive. The doctors looked perplexed for a moment. Brandon placed an arm around her shoulders before calmly addressing them again.

"Excuse me, doctor. We're looking for Radius and Luna Solaria," Brandon said.

"I'm sorry, but only relatives are allowed at the moment," one of the doctors spoke.

"I'M THEIR DAUGHTER, SO TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE!" Stella yelled. The other doctor pointed to a room just a few feet away. Without any warning, Brandon watched as Stella ran inside. The doctors looked unfazed to her outburst. It seems as if this is common to the hospital staff.

"How are they?" Brandon asked feeling the same amount of dread consume him.

"It was a really bad accident. Due to that, both of them suffered heavy internal haemorrhage. It means-"

"Internal bleeding?" Brandon asked. Both of them nodded glumly.

"We've tried our best...but they don't have much time. How exactly are you related to them?"

"We're family friends. I've known them for years now."

The duo nodded. "Internal bleeding, broken ribcages, broken arms...They were brought in at 4:00 AM and surgery took about seven hours. We put them on heavy painkillers and both of them had been wanting to see their daughter."

Brandon's eyes glistened. He nodded painfully.

"I'm sorry, son," one of the doctors sent him a fatherly look. Brandon nodded gratefully before going inside.

Meanwhile, just a few minutes earlier...

Stella let out a choked sob when she saw two adjoined beds holding two fragile people. She let out a small cry of anguish. Her parents were covered in reddened bandages. Tubes stuck out from their bodies. She didn't even recognize the people in front of her.

There were four other people in the room. A doctor and a nurse plus two other civilians. She neared the beds still unable to speak. Not that the blonde even bothered to notice.

"Mom?" Stella uttered softly. "Daddy?"

"Hey, baby girl," her dad greeted her with as much as energy as he could muster. Just hearing the strain in her father's voice made Stella's body shake violently with tears.

"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed as she looked at both of them heartbrokenly. She bit her lip and shook with tears as she remembered how she fought with them earlier.

Brandon entered the room and his breath instantly hitched. His eyes glistened as he watched the two people he considered as his second parents...bedridden. Luna Solaria, who always sported a charming and confident persona, was now struggling to breathe even with the help of an oxygen mask. And Radius Solaria, a light-hearted man who shrugged off life's every obstacle with a smile, was now lying bedridden deprived of that same smile.

"Oh, you have nothing to be sorry about, sweetie...," her mom answered her raspily. Their breaths came out labored.

Brandon's heart ached. Radius and Luna were like his second set of parents and he loved them both. But he could tell...there wasn't much time. They were covered in bandages from head to toe. His eyes glanced over to the crying blonde. He instantly recognized his parents also. They looked as if they both aged a hundred years. He didn't blame them. Radius and Luna had been their best friends for years now.

"Wherever we are, we will always watch over you. Your mom and I...we both had one hell of a life and one beautiful and intelligent daughter," her dad spoke with a small, strained smile. Stella's tears flew faster.

"W-what? Are you saying goodbye?" Stella sobbed loudly. The scene was heartbreaking to watch and eventually, the doctor and nurse left the room while the other two people watched the scene before them with sad eyes.

He placed a tender arm on Stella's shoulder. "The accident was severe, Stella," he said quietly so that only she can hear but it was painfully obvious to everyone what he said.

"Mom, dad...please don't g-give up. Please don't leave me," Stella sobbed heartbroken with despair. Brandon watched as his mom stood by Luna and his dad by Radius.

"We'll never leave you, honey. Wherever you are...we'll always watch over you...," her mom breathed. This only made Stella cry harder.

"But you know what, sweetie? We don't want you to be alone," Luna stated raspily. Stella cringed at the pain her mom must be going through now. _Dear Lord, please please let them be okay! I'm begging you, please!_ Stella chanted. Her tears flowed non-stop.

"What do you mean?" Stella said somewhere in the midst of her pain.

"Every parent has a dream to see their kids grow up and get married. We saw you grow up, but we couldn't watch you get married," Radius started. Stella glanced at both of them as a fresh wave of pain hit her.

"No, dad. Dad, no! You'll get through this! You have to walk me down the aisle when I get married! And...and you have to spoil my kids!" Stella cried. _Please please!_ Stella begged for the Almighty to save them. She'd do _anything_ to see her parents walking again. She didn't want to remember them being like _this._ Helplessly tied to a hospital bed wearing white scrubs and transparent tubes sticking out from every odd direction...

Brandon felt a few tears flow although he quickly wiped them away. He could tell.

 _There wasn't much time..._

"Son, thank you for coming," Radius spoke tenderly with a small smile. Brandon rushed to his aid. "Please, hang on," Brandon clutched Radius's hand tightly while swallowing back more tears.

"Stella, honey, just step out for a second. We need to talk to Brandon," Luna spoke heavily. Stella appeared taken aback. She glanced at Brandon who nodded at her. Confused, she left the room crying.

She stepped outside and felt her chest heave. She slumped into the chairs beside the room and cried into her hands. _No...this can't be happening._ One dreaded phone call was all it took for her world to come crashing down. She couldn't bear to see her parents covered in bandages. They can't leave her. _They just can't._ She was only 21. She was meant to go to college in a few months! Graduate, settle down, get married, and have kids...

They were supposed to be there for _all of that!_ Stella sobbed harder. She didn't even want to acknowledge the harsh reality that stared back into her face. She wiped her tears away but it was of no use. More came crashing down. After a minute or so, she stepped inside the room again and rushed to them.

"Mom, dad...please hang on...I'm begging you! Please don't leave me!" Stella cried over and over.

"We'll never leave you, honey...You're the best thing that has ever happened to us. So...will you grant us one last favor?" Luna asked.

Stella nodded vigorously. _"ANYTHING."_

"Will you..." Luna started.

"...Marry Brandon?" Radius finished.

Stella's eyes widened to the point of nearly popping out of her sockets. "WHAT?!"

* * *

 **This was so terribly written (and rushed too) and** _ **I'm so so so sorry.**_ **I am** _ **not**_ **good with writing sad fics.**

 **So, I'd love to see what you thought! o.o**


	6. Broken Heart

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **~ Lenox Hill Hospital, New York - 1:18 PM ~**

"Will you grant us one last favor?" Luna asked.

Stella nodded vigorously. _"ANYTHING."_

"Will you..." Luna started.

"...Marry Brandon?" Radius finished.

Stella's eyes widened to the point of nearly popping out of her sockets. "WHAT?!" Is this why they told her to get out earlier? She could feel five sets of eyes on her and she felt the stares burn. Tears started to flow. She still couldn't believe that she's in New York right now when she should be all the way over in LA doing her business. Stella turned to look at Brandon who wasn't even looking at her. Instead, he was staring off into space. Whatever he made her angry with, she forgot about it.

"Why aren't you saying anything?!" she cried addressing him. He finally looked at her with hollow eyes. He approached her and whispered quietly, "I'll be right back." Brandon left the room with his parents in tow.

He stood in front of his parents and crossed his arms feeling nothing but bitter anger. "What happened?!"

His mom, Heather Sheilds, and his father, Lucas Sheilds, looked at him solemnly. "We were coming back from a business gathering. We weren't far from them but it all happened so fast," Heather cried for her best friend. Brandon's face lost all color as he saw the look on his mother's face.

"Mom...don't we really have hope?" he asked painfully.

One look on his parents' faces told him everything. Time was running out. Maybe an hour, if they're lucky. The doctors couldn't stop the internal bleeding and they lost way too much blood in the first place. They were covered in bandage wraps around their heads, arms, legs, and stomach. Brandon loved Stella's parents like his own, mainly because he had known them since he was a teen.

"No! Let me go!" Stella screamed making Brandon's attention dart to her. She was being restrained by to male nurses who were struggling to push her out of the room. Brandon's eyes widened as two nurses and a doctor rushed inside the room. He could a distinct beeping from one of the heartbeat monitors.

"Please let me go! I HAVE TO SEE THEM!" Stella cried in despair as she tried to push past them. Brandon rushed to her and pulled her back. She struggled in his arms, desperate to free herself. "No, let go! Please, please!" she cried. Her cries pierced his heart, but he refused to let her go. Something was wrong. He could tell. The doctors rushed in and out speaking urgently in medical jargon. He hugged Stella tighter as she cried.

She turned around and hit him in the chest with her fists. "Please...let me go," she pleaded. "Shh," he gently coaxed her. He pulled her into a hug when he saw her face crumble and she started to breakdown again. He could tell that she was exhausted. She was struggling not to lose herself to unconsciousness. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his parents motion to him that they'll go into the room.

"I'm here, princess," he whispered into her hair as he watched what was going on around the room. "Why?! You don't even know me! You hate me!" she cried. "Not right now," he warned firmly. Time was slipping by and Brandon knew that. He didn't have the heart to tell her when he was close to crumbling himself. He wiped her continuous tears while a tear slid down his cheek in despair. He wiped it away as fast as lightning. He can't cry. He could only imagine how she was feeling. They were HER WORLD. HER LIFE. He knew that much. He hugged her even closer and she returned it this time. Her cries were muffled into his shirt. She held him tighter as she sobbed sorrowfully into his chest.

"Ms. Stella Solaria?"

Stella's ears perked up when she heard her name. She let Brandon go and turned around. A lady doctor stood there solemnly. "I'm so sorry. They lost too much blood. And we can't stop the internal bleeding either. Your father is asking for you. He doesn't have much time. And...we lost Mrs. Solaria," she said sadly.

Stella's world came crashing down. Tears streamed down faster as she shook her head helplessly like a madwoman, refusing to believe it. "No...no...NO...NO!" she cried as she stormed past the doctor. Brandon followed her.

Stella's heart thudded as her eyes lay on her mother. Stella grew still as the heartbeat monitor stayed flat. Her deep golden-hazel eyes grew glassy. Brandon stayed silent as his eyes mourned for the mother he loved just as much as he loved his own mother. Brandon noticed his parents in the corner of the room. His mom was crying for her best friend and his father was consoling her with tears.

"Mom?" She cried softly. "Mom...please...I'm begging you. Wake up, please! Please!" She cried as she held Luna's hand to her heart.

"S-Stella...," Radius called out weakly.

She cried helplessly. "Dad, no. You'll be just fine. And we'll..g-g-go to your i-ice cream shop even though Mom forbid you to eat sweets. Please, dad!"

"Stella, sweetheart...you're the best gift ever to us. P-promise me t-that...t-that...," Radius said weakly. Stella sobbed, "Anything! Please, dad! Stay here! Please don't go! Please don't leave me!"

"B-Brandon...L-Lucas...H-H-Heather...p-please take care of my d-d-daughter," Radius eyed the trio as they glanced at him sadly. "Of course, Radius. She's our daughter now," Lucas spoke while stiffling more tears.

"B-Brandon, w-w-will you t-t-take my daughter a-as your wife? T-Take care of h-her. I-It's all I can g-give you, son," Radius said. Stella, however, couldn't hear anything. She was trying not to go insane.

"It's up to her," Brandon choked on a small sob as he blinked back tears of his own.

With every word he uttered, Radius's pulse dropped. He stretched out to his hand shakingly. Stella took it and hugged it close to her.

"Your mom and I talked with Brandon and his folks. P-Promise me, sweetie. Please..."

"I p-p-promise, dad! I promise you. I'll...marry him," she cried. Radius smiled at his daughter the best he could right now. "We had one hell of a daughter. B-Be happy, S-Stel. Y-Your mom and I will always watch over you. W-We love you, hon-"

Suddenly, Radius's eyes lost light as the heartbeat monitor beeped flat. He had a smile on his face. He held his wife with one hand and his daughter with the other. Stella slowly closed his eyes and cried softly. Just yesterday... _just yesterday..._

She was talking to them. She held each of their hands and sobbed. "Take care of mom, dad...I love you..." Brandon's eyes let go of the tears as they freely fell down his face.

Doctors rushed into the room as all of them are ushered out.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ Lenox Hill Hospital, New York - 8:35 PM ~**

Brandon took Stella outside when she began crying uncontrollably. She didn't even have a home now. Her home didn't feel like home anymore. She doesn't even someone she can rely on. She's...an orphan. She felt hollow and exhausted. Her parents had been her world...and now, she's deprived of it.

Stella never noticed as Brandon took her outside to his parents' car. He turned on the ignition and started driving. The car was silent except for the sound of wind. Brandon simply started to drive around in his parents' car without any destination in mind. He could hear her soft cries muffled by the wind. He glanced at her heartbroken face from the corner of his eyes. _She would never heal, would she?_ He thought as he waited for her to say something. Anything.

"Stella?" he said softly.

"Please take me back to the hospital," she whispered as she looked at him with bloodshot eyes. "Please," she begged. He stayed silent as he stared ahead with a firm destination in his mind.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said quietly.

"Brandon, I'm in no mood-!"

He paid no heed as he drove. He took an exit and drove a few miles until he finally came to a stop. He dropped the car and told her to get out. Stella got out confused. What was she doing here?! She should be at the hospital! She didn't even bother noticing the scenery in front of her.

"Why are we here?" she asked nearly going mad. He stood in front of her. "You're allowed to cry, Stella. Don't bottle it up," he said, his brown eyes boring down to her own hazel ones. Stella felt as if she was being pushed onto the brink of sanity. "Shut up! You have no idea how I feel, so you have nothing to teach me! Take me back to the hospital!" she half yelled and half sobbed desperate to make him see her point.

Without a warning, he grabbed her hand and pulled her straight into his arms. "You're right. I really don't know how you feel. But...don't bottle it up," he half pleaded. "No! Let me go!" she sobbed as she beat him with her fists. He winced, but didn't say anything except a 'No'.

She soon grew tired and her shouts were reduced to uncontrollable sobs. She wrapped her arms around, her grip tightening each passing second. Stella cried into his chest.. He gently patted her hair, but said nothing. His eyes went glassy as he thought about the times he had with them. He remembered how excited he used to be whenever he was told that the Solarias are coming for a short stay. They frequently visited, but they only came alone. He never saw Stella, but did hear of her.

Mourning...not something you'd do on a Saturday.

"They left me here...alone...," she cried burying her head further into his black jacket. Her body shook violently as more sobs emitted out of her. Brandon could only watch her in sadness. He can't even imagine how she must be feeling right now. He gently held her by the shoulders. She sobbed sorrowfully into her hands, making his heart ache even more.

"Stella?" He removed her hands from her face and placed them by her sides. "Look at me," he softly commanded. She shakily looked up at him, showing no signs of life. There was no light in her eyes anymore and she looked broken.

"You're not alone. We may have had our differences, but I did and still do care about you. I wouldn't have protected you from Jason if I hadn't," he said truthfully. Her eyes widened. He meant every word he said. He never liked to show his real feelings, but this was an exception. This girl needs to be shown that there _is_ someone who genuinely cares for her well-being. That she doesn't have overcome her grief alone.

"...Thank you," she whispered brokenly. He nodded and pulled her into a hug again while she cried in his arms. He leaned back against the black Mercedes car, enabling to comfortably sit at least slightly. She leaned unconsciously into him and cried even harder. Brandon's eyes glistened.

He looked over her shoulder. He had parked near the beach. The moon was extraordinarily bright tonight and shone off its brilliance to the rest of the world. The ocean appeared in a brilliant royal blue color. _If only they can appreciate this beauty at the moment..._

But he felt as if a part of him died. He regarded Stella's parents as his own. They showed him more love and tenderness than his own parents did. His parents, mostly his father, had always breathed down his neck to do well in school and pressured him to study harder. But...Stella's parents reminded him that failures in life are ways of showing you your weaknesses. They told him that failures are a boon in some way because they provide an opportunity for you to do better.

If taking care of Stella made them feel happy, he'll do it in a heartbeat. He'll make sure that their one and only daughter is taken good of. He slightly jumped when his phone rang lowly. He reached into his pockets to retrieve it only to be surprised when he saw Stella sleeping against him. He frowned. She must be exhausted. There were multiple tear streaks on her face. He took the phone from his back pocket while holding her steadily against him.

He saw that his father was calling. He cut the call and opted to text. He held her with one arm while he texted with the free one.

 _"Where are both of you?"_

Brandon quickly typed a reply. _"We're fine. I'm taking Stella home. Finish the paperwork and go home. I'll see you tomorrow."_

He set his phone on mute and put it back in his pocket.

He glanced at her sleeping face again.

"I'm here for you, Stell," he whispered, his words getting lost in the wind.

* * *

 **I'd greatly appreciate what you thought of this. Poor Stella :( I** _ **love**_ **Radius and Luna AND I really wish that they were a couple in the series as well. They fight for five continuous seasons and only make up in season 6, but oh well. Something is better than nothing.**

 **I'm horrible at writing anything related to sadness, so...please don't curse me too much :o**


	7. The Funeral

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.** _ **Why...oh why...*sigh***_

 **Thank you to** _ **each**_ **and** _ **every**_ **one who reviewed. I try to personally thank each and every one of you, but only a few of you who reviewed are users. Since I can't message the guest users, I'll just do it here:** _ **thank you so much! It only means a lot to me and makes my day. Literally :) Thank you so much to all of you :) *sends hearts to your way***_

 **And I would like to address one particular reviewer:**

 **Amelia Winder:** Hi! First of all, thanks for the review :) Well, I didn't mean to end it like that so abruptly. I actually got the idea from a friend of mine who suggested it to me. I think the reason why they (her parents) asked her to do that is probably because they don't want her to be alone. And for them to ask her to marry Brandon also means that they trust Brandon to keep their daughter safe.

P.S. I _love, love_ Radius and Luna too! It's so sad that they don't get together until season 6. Anyways, I didn't want to kill them because they're one of my favorite couples (along with Bloom's parents). But I had to do that anyway because I guess I wanted to show readers how Stella becomes stronger _again._ As the name suggests, shattered heart refers to Stella's. She'll become a broken woman and she'll eventually rise up again. Well, I don't really know how to explain, but hopefully you'll enjoy the future chapters. Anyways, _thank you, thank you_ for the review! It means a ton to me!

 **Okay, that's enough of me blabbering!**

 _ **P.S. I sort of didn't have time to proofread this, so do excuse any grammatical errors. That was me being too fast in typing.**_

 _ **Moving on...!**_

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Home - 6:30 PM ~**

 _ **Stella's POV:**_

 _A week._

It's been a week since mom and dad...

I started to tear up because I still can't believe that I'll never see them again. _That they're gone._ I don't have anyone to live for. I mean, sure I do have cousins, aunts, and uncles, but they can never replace my parents. I didn't even bother contacting them. I love them all, but right now, I don't want sympathy. I want to be alone. I want to grieve as painfully and as long as possible. Isn't that ironic? I want to escape this grief, yet I also want to drown in it.

Right now, I'm in Brandon's home. I don't even know why he's letting me stay here. I don't even see him that much. Ever since that night when he took me to some beach which I now remember so vaguely, we didn't talk much. He left me alone although he did check on me quite often.

Referring to his residence as a house would be a heavy _understatement._ He's practically living in an oversized penthouse. I was a little surprised that he lived alone, but he did have a _very_ beautiful house. He must be extremely rich. Each section of the penthouse was furnished with unique materials. I haven't seen the whole house, but his penthouse was sophiscated and quite modern. Also, this area is a little secluded neighborhood. The house was surrounded with a ten-acre plot.

So that's where I am right now. I'm aimlessly roaming out in his land. Tears flowed out of my eyes as I thought about mom and dad again. I'll never forget this pain. I don't even know how to live from here on out. I was talking to them one minute and a phone call arrives a few hours later. I just...I'll do _anything_ to see them again. I'll give up everything if I could just spend one more minute with them. If I can just tell them how much I love them, I won't feel as agitated as I'm feeling right now.

I didn't even bother wiping my tears knowing it's futile. I was a mess on both inside and the outside. I stopped walking when I felt my body shake. I slumped to the grassy ground, which was perfectly trimmed free of any weeds, as I let out a cry of anguish. I sobbed loudly. No one would hear me anyway. I'm alone.

"Please let me wake up from this nightmare!" I cried as I desperately prayed. I was literally on the brink of sanity. I wanted this horrid nightmare to end. I can't live like this anymore. _Please, please, please!_ My prayers are futile and utterly useless.

People say that the grief on the first day is the worst and that time heals all wounds. I disagree. Sometimes, the days that follow are worse than the day it happened.

Time didn't heal my wounds. It only broke me even more. It tore and burned me from the inside. Each day, I felt worse than the previous one.

I let out another cry of hopelessness and pain. _Why me...?_ I cried even harder. I momentarily gasped when I felt two strong arms wrap themselves around me. I didn't even bother turning around. _Brandon._ We're the only ones here. I didn't move from my sitting position as I cried.

This wasn't natural. They were supposed to watch me get married, grow up, have kids of my own, and grandchildren of my own! Mom was only forty years old and dad is forty-three. They were still young. They weren't supposed to die!

Even though life goes on, we can _never_ prepare ourselves for the natural order of things. No matter how hard we try to strengthen our inner resolve, we'll never be able to bear the pain of watching loved ones pass away.

I sobbed. Brandon didn't say anything. He simply held me in a warm hug and gave me silent comfort.

"We have to go," he said softly making me cry even harder.

"I can't," I sobbed. "I can't be there!"

"If you don't come...you'll regret it. Maybe not now, but later. It's your last chance to see them again, Stella. You won't see them again," he replied on cue. I shook my head helplessly. I heard him let out a small sigh. His grip on me loosened instantly and he stood up.

He turned around and faced me sideways. "I don't want to regret anything, so I'm going."

I watched his retreating figure. The tears still didn't stop.

 _Today is the day._ The day of the funeral. I can't go. I don't want to. I'm only twenty one and I didn't have the heart to see my parents get buried. I'm not that strong.

The more I think about it, the more the pain starts to fill in. It's excruciating at the thought that I'll never see my parents again. Reality sank in my head as I stood up with my wobbly knees. I ran across the lot as fast as I can.

I sighed in relief when I saw the car in view. I opened the passenger seat and joined him. He didn't leave.

...He was waiting for me.

The doors clicked as he locked the car and started the ignition.

* * *

 **~ Memorial Service - 7:00 PM ~**

 _ **No One's POV:**_

Stella adjusted her simple black dress as she stepped out the car. She appeared taken aback when she saw the people here. There were at least two hundred people here, quite contraine to her expection of a bare fifty. Stella's eyes clouded as tears flooded her eyes. The funeral was outside of a chapel, near the cemetery. Even the weather looked gloomy to match the occasion, despite it being noon.

With every step she took, Stella felt the weight of her body increase substantially. She didn't know half of these people. She recognized her extended family, but kept mum.

"Stella!"

Stella's head whipped to the side when she heard two very familiar voices. Tears cascaded down her cheeks when she saw her very own best friends.

 _Musa..._

 _Layla..._

The two girls reached her and enveloped her in a huge hug. Stella completely broke down as she cried. She was finally relieved to see familiar faces. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brandon leaving her alone.

"We're here for you, Stel," Musa sniffled. To say that they were beyond shocked about the deaths is an understatement. When Musa and Layla heard about the fatal accident two days ago from Stella's relatives, they rushed here as soon they could. How could thing go so horribly wrong over one night?

"C'mon, let's go. It's starting," Layla whispered sadly as she held on to the blonde. It was heartbreaking to see their friend like this. Stella has always been an optimistic, light-hearted, and cheerful girl. To see her in tears was painful to all of them especially since they rarely see her cry.

The three walked arm in arm and heard the pastor speaking as they approached the beautifully floral decorated caskets. Stella was mildly relieved to see the caskets opaque. She didn't think she had further strength to see her deceased parents' injuries again.

 _"... We are here today to show our love and support for a very precious family. Not only have we sensed our own personal feelings of loss over Radius Solaria and Luna Solaria passing, but our hearts have been drawn toward them, and will continue to be with them,"_ the pastor solemnly spoke. Stella sadly eyed the caskets. She would do anything to see them again. She'd give her whole life just for three more seconds with them.

She felt so emptied and hollowed out. Stella could feel Brandon's eyes on her as well as his' parents. However, she didn't bother looking up. She didn't owe anything to them. She wanted to spend as much time as she can with her parents. _Before they disappear into the ground forever._

She watched silently as people gathered around the twin caskets the moment the pastor spoke his words. One by one, each person who was close enough to the Solarias spoke. Stella recognized some of them. And some of them, she didn't.

She didn't hear any of their words. She tuned out everyone's voice. She still couldn't wrap her head around this. This is more than just a tragedy to her. This was a more of a blow to her life. Her entire life just changed for the worse. She snapped back to reality when she felt Musa shake her.

"Stella," Layla simply said. The two nodded to the caskets and then back to her. _Already?_ Stella thought wildly. She's supposed to say goodbye already? Sniffling hard, she ignored the large lump in her throat which practically choked her. Her heart ached even more.

"..." Stella remained silent for a few moments. All eyes were trained on her, but she took a moment to treasure this moment forever into her heart.

"...when my mom was eighteen, she became pregnant with me. Dad was three years older than her. But...they told me that at that time, they were still in school and definitely not ready for a baby. They weren't financially independent. Even then, mom chose not to abort me. Even during hard times, mom and dad were both optimistic and in the end, things will somehow turned out to be...o-o-okay," Stella stuttered.

She continued, "They were intelligent and well off. Even when they became successful entrepreneurs, mom and dad never neglected me. They gave me a beautiful childhood and a blessed teenagehood. I'm just...sad that they'll never get to see me grow up and I'll never get to see them grow older. I wish they're here right now. Mom...dad...I love you so much." A few tears leaked out of her eyes as onlookers gazed at her sympathetically. Some of them knew her although Stella didn't. It wasn't a secret to anyone that Radius and Luna doted on their daughter and that she came first before anyone else in their lives.

Stella lightly smiled at all of them. "Thank you to everyone who came," she said softly.

 _Goodbye, mom. Goodbye, dad..._ Stella thought as her misery only broke her further.

Their graves were side by side and engraved with their respective names.

 _In Loving Memory Of_

 _Luna Solaria_

 _August 10, 1977 - June 8, 2017_

 _A Devoted Wife, Affectionate Mother, Beautiful Daughter, Trusted and Loving Friend_

 _You were taken from us far too soon, but we will never you leave from our hearts. We love you and miss you greatly._

 _..._

 _In Loving Memory Of_

 _Radius Solaria_

 _April 28, 1974 - June 8, 2017_

 _A Loyal Husband, Loving Father, Dedicated Son, Honest and True Friend_

 _No one can erase you from time or from our hearts. Your absence is a silent grief and your life remains a beautiful, yet tragic memory._

Tears fell onto Stella's already damp cheeks. The look in her exhausted eyes is enough to break anyone's hearts. It seems as if she too died along with them. She cried silently, too exhausted and too tired to keep this up. Her eyes turned puffy and red and she seemed oblivious to the slowly disappearing crowd. Heather, Brandon's mother, fainted and Lucas, Brandon's father, took her away. Soon, it's just the girls. Brandon stayed back a few feet away and silently watched the blonde.

But Stella...she didn't budge an inch. Her face felt numb of any emotions. It's the kind of monotonous emotion that one carries only in sad occasions. A funeral is definitely more than just sad. The passing of her parents still seems so surreal.

A moment later, she spoke. "Please. Leave me alone," she said softly to her friends. Her words are barely above a whisper.

"No way."

"Never."

The two spoke simultaneously at once. They refused to go. Sadness pricking her eyes, she trained her eyes on the gravestones in front of her. "Please. I have to be alone for a while. Please leave me alone," she said. Musa and Layla sadly stared at each other.

Stella let out a small sigh when she felt their grip loosen on her. She could hear their footsteps slowly disappearing from her. She shut her eyes and let out another breathe. She was struggling not to lose it right then and there. The graves were decorated with flowers and the ground showed evidence of the freshly dug up soil to hold the graves.

She never felt so void, _so deprived of life_ before. Stella took a deep breath. She allowed the agony to consume her like a fire. She heard of people dying of broken hearts before. How is this any different? Maybe she can die soon and then she'll be able to see her parents in heaven.

"...Mom...Dad...you know...I'm so angry right now! How could you do this to me?!" she wept as she struggled not to break down again. Her world turned black and white in a matter of moments. She cried harder.

Her parents were dead because of some drunk driver couldn't hold his liquor down enough to drive properly! All because of an extra bottle of liquor...her parents paid the ultimate price.

The atmosphere not only looked gloomy, but also felt gloomy. Clouds loomed up above in the skies that dark shadows soon started to emerge from under her feet. She was oblivious to the sounds of an impending thunder storm.

It didn't take long for the horizon to darken with stormy clouds. _How fitting._ A shitty weather for a shitty day. It soon started to pour, not that it bothered Stella. Her eyes still blankly trained to the graves. Her tears were lost somewhere within the raindrops on her face. Her lips quivered slightly.

Unbeknownst to her, Brandon stood by still watching her. He sighed internally. He honestly didn't know what to do. He never encountered anyone who got lost in mourning. But with Stella...it was _so much more_ than just mourning. He was scared inside because he can't begin to fathom how much torn up she must be on the inside. But then again, he knew that he can't leave her alone. He can't just let her walk away. Slowly, but softly as to not disturb her, he took small steps and joined beside her. He didn't care that he was sopping wet, but he did care about _her._

He wrapped an arm around her, to which she jumped out of fright. He didn't say anything. Obviously she thought that everyone had left.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him. "You should go," she said with a hint of demand.

"So should you," he said quietly without looking at her.

"Leave me alone, please," she said as she shook his arm off. Her body started to shake again. She turned away from him. It seems as if each word she uttered broke her even more. Brandon pursued his lips. How can he comfort her? No words will bring any solace. They probably won't even reach her ears, let alone comfort.

He placed an arm on her shoulder. "You're allowed to cry, Stell," he said quietly. "You don't have to hide it, you know."

Within mere seconds, his breath was knocked out of him when she wheeled around and threw her arms around his torso. He heard a choked sob and then sobs turned to heartbreaking cries. Recovering from his surprise, he wrapped his arms around her.

Even though Stella was freezing cold in this rain, she oddly sought comfort from him. Isn't it ironic? She wanted to push everyone away, but at the same time...

 _She wanted someone to push past her barriers and comfort her._

She buried her head into his chest and cried her heart out.

"It's okay, Stell...it's okay. I'm here for you," he whispered quietly near her ear as his grip tightened on her.

* * *

 **I do apologize for the lengthy update, but I** _ **really**_ **am busy with college. Real life gets in the way and all...**

 **Anyways, I'd love to know what you think. So, if you have** _ **any**_ **feedback, I'd love to hear about it :)**


	8. Wedding Bells?

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB (I can't even _BEGIN_ to explain how much I HATE THIS DISCLAIMER -_- )**

 _ **Thank you to everyone who've reviewed. My day was made XD!**_

 _ **P.S. In case you did NOT like this chapter, I'm SOO SOO sorry. I knew it was rushed.**_

 _ **Yesterday was sort of my birthday so I was feeling a little hyped and happy. My last year as a teen. *sigh* Gosh, I'm getting old xD Officially 19 now! Hehe, so since this chapter is not about me, I'm gonna buzz off now x_x**_

 _ **Enjoy :)**_

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Home - 9:00 AM ~**

 _Seven weeks later..._

 _Two months..._

It has officially been two months since the passing of Stella's parents. Sometimes, _if not all the time,_ it's the days that follow that hit you the WORST. The heartbreak is just too much to bear that you end up wondering how you're still alive during that. It was no different for Stella. She lost her reason and purpose to live. She just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. _Eternal sleep..._ it sounds so beautiful. But then again, parents would _never_ want their children to give up on their dreams just because of demises.

Stella sat on her bed cross-legged and just stared at her lap. She took a deep breath to keep the waterworks at bay. She didn't want to cry anymore. The more she cried, the more heartbroken she became. It was probably best to bottle all of this up. She was just tired... _so tired._ She was tired of this pain and sorrow. She looked around the bedroom. It looked familiar, yet so distant at the same time. Probably because this room isn't hers. She ran a hand through her hair. It's been months since she smiled. Two months actually, but it's still something to worry about.

She was showered and dressed. This has been her routine for the past few months. Wake up, shower, get dressed, and begin the waterworks. Nothing else really. But not today. Today, she had something to do. _Something important._

Picking herself up, she got down from the bed. She adjusted her soft blue sundress. Well, technically it isn't hers. All of the outfits she's been wearing the past few weeks were all floral and summery. When Brandon gave her a suitcase full of them, he told her that they belonged to his younger sister, _who has yet to come into the picture._ He told her that his sister was now on a road trip with some of her friends. Stella had simply taken them with gratitude.

She calmly walked out of the bedroom and with a deep sigh, she grudgingly moved her unwilling feet to Brandon's. His bedroom door was closed. Stella bit her lip and raised her hand. She tentatively knocked on the door twice.

 _Meanwhile..._

* * *

 **~ Sheilds Corporations - Top Floor - Office - 9:10 AM ~**

Lucas Shields and Heather Shields sat at their respective shields, with their heads buried into laptops. Lucas stopped for a few seconds and sighed. Heather noticed and looked up. She silently asked him what the matter was.

He sighed. "We need to talk, hon."

Heather nodded and closed the lid of her laptop. "What's wrong?"

"It's...well...it's Stella and Brandon. Stella isn't feeling normal, you know?"

"I know. Poor girl. I wish I could help her," Heather said sadly as she thought of her late best friend. Luna had _always_ been there for Heather. Luna is defiant and stubborn, but she wished well for everyone. And now it's Heather's turn. It's her turn to help her best friend's daughter.

"...Well...I've been thinking..." Lucas started nervously. "Their last wish had been to see themget married."

Heather's eyes widened. "WHAT? You're joking, right?!"

Lucas shook his head. "...I don't know what else to do..."

His wife glared at him. "Just because you don't know what to do doesn't mean you can decide whatever the hell you want! I'm not marrying off our son to Stella. Stella is a gorgeous girl, no doubt, but you _know_ how he feels for-"

Lucas raised his hand. "I don't care how he feels for that girl. I never liked her, to be honest. What is wrong with Stella? Is it because she's grieving? Heather, that girl _deserves_ to grieve right now."

Heather sighed. "I know...it's just...I don't want to lose our son over this. He's already distant from us from running off and buying a house for himself. And besides, it's no secret that Stella and Brandon can't stand each other. Before the accident, we knew that they're always fighting." She continued, "Besides...I don't want Stella to become more closed off. She doesn't even know us, Luke. I'd hate to hurt her in any way. _Believe me,_ I'd love to have her as my daughter-in-law."

Lucas crossed his arms and sighed as he understood his wife's concern. Of course, they knew that Stella can't stand Brandon and vice versa. And if that's the case, this marriage would be utterly pointless. They'd both be filing for a mutual divorce the second they exchange rings.

Lucas rubbed his chin in thought. "What if we don't file it? If we get them married, but don't file for the marriage, then legally...the marriage would be non-existent."

"I can't believe you're actually entertaining this idea," Heather shook her head with a sigh.

"Why not? Besides...didn't you once say that you wanted our families to become actual relatives? And now we can."

"Yeah I did say that, but the circumstances were different at that time. Stella was a normal twenty year old at that time, living her life in LA. And now...she's not the same girl any more. She's torn and broken and I can tell that she's struggling not to lose it. What's the point of honoring a promise if you know that our children won't keep it?" Heather asked sadly.

"Promises aren't meant to be broken, Heather. I made Radius a promise. To me, he was more than a friend. He was and will always be my brother. And I'll honor every last word he breathed. They were both in so much pain, yet they went through that because they trusted us. They trusted that we would protect their daughter. And I'm not about to break that trust."

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Home - 9:30 AM ~**

Stella watched with big eyes when Brandon opened the door. He looked a little stunned, probably because he didn't expect any sort of communication from her. He kept his eyes trained on her. She looked...almost, and dare he say it, _beautiful._ She looked alive, but her eyes still held sadness. She definitely cleaned up well, although she looked beyond exhausted. Her hair fell down in curly waves and her bangs gently brushed against her forehead.

"Um...can I talk to you?" she asked causing him to snap out of his trance.

He nodded and closed the door behind him. He guided them both to the living room. He sat in one of the leather couches, but Stella remained standing not knowing what to do. He glared a little, "You can sit, you know. Jeez." Stella sat down instantly, jumping a little at his tone. His eyes softened when he saw her sad face. "Sorry," he muttered softly.

Stella shook her head. "No, don't be. You have nothing to be sorry for. I was just being a little paranoid."

"So, what's up?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. "I...I'm going back to LA. I just wanted to tell you and I wanted to thank you for the past few weeks."

He stared at her for a moment before speaking quietly. "Did I do something wrong?"

Her eyes widened. Wrong? _Him?_ He fed her the whole time. He cooked for them both every single day and made sure that she didn't skip a meal. He kept her company when she woke up screaming from awful nightmares. He...kept her sane this whole time. He kept her from drowning in oblivion.

"No, it's just...I can't stay at your place all the time. I just...haven't been myself."

Brandon dryly chuckled. "Haven't been yourself? Stella, _you've been exactly yourself._ No one expects you to sprew sunshine and rainbows, you know. You're allowed to be upset. You're allowed to cry. And...you're allowed to stay, you know. I don't mind having you here."

"No, it's not that. I already overstayed at your place."

Brandon opened his mouth to say something, but a voice interrupted him.

"I knew my son was terrible at making people comfortable."

Brandon and Stella looked at the doorway. Brandon's eyes narrowed when he saw his parents walking through the front door.

Heather laughed, "You can say that again."

Lucas cheekily smiled, "I knew my son was terrible at making people comfortable."

Heather face-palmed. "You're embarrassing yourself," she muttered under her breath. She smiled when she saw Stella standing up.

"Good morning, Stella. How are you feeling?" she asked the timid blonde.

Stella managed to give a smile. A light one, but a smile nonetheless. "Better. Thank you, Mrs. Shields."

"Is it something my boy did?" Lucas glared at his son who rolled his eyes. Brandon bitterly looked away from his father's pointed glare and simply crossed his legs over one another.

 _"Son."_ Lucas glared at his arrogant son. Stella slightly raised an eyebrow when she saw Brandon's repulsive attitude. Was there a problem between them or is Brandon being the jerk he normally is?

"BRANDON," Lucas stated harder. Brandon finally looked at his father with cold, steely eyes. "What?" he addressed with an edge to his tone. Stella pretended like she didn't exist whereas Heather simply crossed her arms and shook her head.

"Shall we take a walk?" Lucas asked with the same glare in his eyes. Brandon coldly glanced at his father for a moment before standing up and bolting out of the room. Lucas sighed before following the tall brunette.

Stella coughed nervously. She somehow thought that if she wasn't here, Brandon and Lucas would be fighting right about now. There was definitely tension between the two of them. It didn't help that Brandon looked as if he can't even stand to be in the same room as his father. Especially not after the way he stormed out of the room, practically wearing a path on the floor.

It was really none of her business, but she couldn't help but be at least mildly curious.

"So...how're you feeling really?" Heather suddenly asked with a motherly smile as she led both of them to the couch. Stella smiled weakly. "It's tough to get over such things, Mrs. Shields. But...I guess I feel a little better." She lied straight through her teeth. She didn't feel any better. Sure, the tears she shed everyday lessened, but the hole in her heart refused to be filled.

"Is Brandon bothering you? Or is he making you uncomfortable? He's _not_ the best person to be with at certain times," Heather frowned as she eyed the direction her son ran off to with his father tailing behind.

"Oh no, Mrs. Shields-"

"Heather. Call me Heather."

Stella smiled a little. "I definitely agree with you when you say that he's a difficult person. But no, he doesn't make me uncomfortable, Mrs. Shi-I mean, Heather."

 _Meanwhile..._

* * *

"For your information, I didn't force her to leave. So you can stop glaring at me any time now," Brandon said coldly.

"I'm not here for that," Lucas sighed. "Son, when are you coming home? Do you have to live here? All alone?"

Brandon interrupted his father by raising a hand. "Is this what you came for? If it is, then you can stop right now. Are we done yet?"

Hurt flashed across Lucas's features. Brandon turned away and shut his eyes trying to erase the image.

Lucas shook off the bitterness and coughed to get his son's attention again. "I'm here for something else."

Brandon's eyes snapped to Lucas again. He placed his hands in his pockets and patiently waited. But the next words that Lucas uttered made his eyes widen to the point of them nearly popping out of their sockets.

 _"Remember the Solarias' last wish?"_

Brandon's jaw dropped. He did NOT just hear that. He didn't just hear those words now, did he? "Excuse me?" Brandon asked incredulously.

"Your mother and I are planning to have the wedding between you two _this week._ "

Brandon's eyes widened. _Excuse me?!_ "Without consulting either of us?!" Brandon hollered ridiculously. His cold voice dropped and in its place, an anxious one took over.

"We're consulting you now," Lucas shrugged his shoulders.

Brandon crossed his arms. His shock wore off and a sharp glare made its way on his face. "What the hell, dad?! NO. I don't care what promise I made then. But I'm not doing this."

Lucas calmly spoke, "You made a promise, Brandon. To Radius and Luna."

"Yes. I did make a promise that I'll take care of her. That we'll _all_ take care of her. This isn't taking care of her. This is just forcing her to agree to something that will change her life. I'm not agreeing to marrying Stella and I never will."

"Fine. If that's the way you feel, we'll just tell her ourselves. I don't think Stella will disobey if we ask," Lucas shrugged. Brandon clenched his jaw. _Of course,_ Stella wouldn't disobey. His father was using sentiment against her.

" _Don't you dare, father,_ " Brandon said coldly.

"I don't care if you're living alone right now, but you will _not_ disrespect your father," Lucas hissed. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"

"You're asking me to marry a girl I barely know! Asking Stella to do this would only break her even more. Can't you see that she's still grieving?! Or are you that blind to it?!" Brandon yelled.

"YOU. WILL. MARRY. STELLA. And _that's final._ I've known Radius and Luna for nearly two decades. Even if my son doesn't respect their last wish, I will." Lucas threw a glare one more time before storming off and heading back to the house.

Brandon shut his eyes. His eyes clouded. As much as he loved them too, he... _he just can't do this._ This would change his whole life. Marriage is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Of course he wanted to marry someday, but to a woman that he can accept. _A woman that he chose and loved with all of his heart._

His dark brown eyes darted to the house. There's nothing wrong with Stella, but...he didn't love her. And she doesn't love him either. So why force two individuals to marry when they can't even tolerate each other's presence? Brandon thought back to the two days he spent at Stella's house. He initially thought he'd spend a month or so researching. But because of the ordeal that came suddenly, he was forced to work from home. It's not that he felt obligated to take care of Stella. _No, far from it._

He genuinely cared for Stella. He never hated her or even came to disliking her. He just liked teasing her since she got riled up so easily. It was fun. He didn't even have to count the number of times his heart hurt when she woke up scared from nightmares. He was a light sleeper, so he heard her screaming her heart out. He stayed in her room until she felt asleep again before heading back to his own. His heart had always ached when he heard her crying in broad daylight in her room. He didn't know how to comfort her. But he made sure to feed her every single day. There were so many times he had practically yelled at her to eat. He remembered how scared she looked whenever he did that. He didn't especially like the look on her face, but hey, it did the job.

 _And that's how these two months flew by._ He didn't mind taking care of her. _He wanted to take care of her._ No one deserves to witness the pain of loved ones.

His lips set into a straight line as he sighed internally.

* * *

Lucas walked in to see Stella and Heather busy in chatter. _Women._ They always know how to occupy themselves even if they barely know each other. They both looked up when they heard Lucas entering.

He subtly nodded at Heather who sighed. Stella looked back and forth at each of them. They sort of seemed as if they wanted to say something.

Heather placed a gentle hand on Stella's arm causing the latter to look at the former. "Stella, honey, we have something to ask you."

Stella slowly nodded.

Lucas nervously rubbed his chin. This was harder than he had anticipated. He should have rehearsed better. "Well...you see...The thing is...oh boy. Heather, wanna help?"

Heather shot a glare at her husband who gave a small cheeky smile. She sighed and turned to the blonde. "Well...honey...," Heather struggled to get the words out. She took a deep breath. "You do know that your parents' last wish was to marry Brandon?" she uttered quickly. _The direct approach is always the best one._

Stella's eyes widened.

Lucas breathed a small 'Phew'. The hardest was kind of over. He decided to pipe up, "And...it won't happen unless you agree to it. We're certainly not against it. Radius and Luna mean a _LOT_ to us. They were more than just friends. They were family to us. And we're willing to respect anything they ask of us."

Stella stared agape at both of them. She had honestly forgotten about everything. So what now? She has to marry a guy she knows for a...month and some weeks?

She somehow found her voice again a minute later, "...Brandon knows about this...?"

Heather nodded, "He's okay with it. His father is very good at persuading him."

Stella nodded towards the direction Brandon disappeared to earlier and addressed Lucas, "Is that why you called him to a 'walk'?"

Lucas shrugged, "If you put it that way, then I guess."

Stella cast her eyes down and nodded. She didn't know what to think. She had made that promise in a heat of the moment. At that time, she was desperate enough to do _anything_ for her parents. And now...the consequences of that are staring at her in the face. She honestly had no idea what to do. How can Brandon be okay with this? Without a fight? He's not related to her parents in any way. He had no reason to accept these terms. He's being asked to change his whole life. But then again...if Brandon can agree to it, then there's no reason why she can't. To her, a promise made to her late parents is sacred. She _had_ to do this.

"Okay. If Brandon is okay with it...then I guess I am too," Stella finally agreed in a small voice.

Lucas and Heather smiled at each other. The former spoke up, "We're planning to have it as soon as possible. Maybe in the next few days."

Stella nodded blankly. For a wedding that she's not exactly excited about, she could care less about when it happened.

"Heather, take her inside," Lucas ushered the both of them when he heard the back door click.

* * *

 **~ 10:30 AM ~**

Stella and Heather sat on the bed in one of the many guest rooms. There was an uncomfortable silence. Mostly for Stella. She couldn't wrap her head around this whole arranged marriage thing. She couldn't help but wonder if her parents made Brandon stay in LA for this reason. Her mind clicked. _Of course..._ It was a match making arrangement. They had hoped that she and Brandon would get along, but they had ended up getting off on the wrong foot.

 _And because of that..._ Stella couldn't even begin to fathom how in the world did Brandon agree to this? He and his father only disappeared for like ten minutes. A few moments later, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Mrs. Shields-I mean, Heather, how is Brandon okay with this? I mean, doesn't he love anyone? And even if he didn't-"

"He doesn't," Heather firmly said. "You might have noticed the tension between Lucas and him, right?"

Stella nodded. Of course she has.

Heather sighed, "Even if they've been at each other's throats for a long time, Brandon would never cross the line. He would always respect his father and would ultimately end up obeying him."

Stella nodded in understanding. So that's all it was. _Obeying._ So that means that Brandon's probably against this just as much as she was.

Heather sighed again. "He had always been a prodigy since he was a child. He was always excelling in everything, especially mathematics and science. He just...never cared for anyone else. Except for you. He cares for you, I can tell that."

Stella had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. He doesn't care for her that much enough to willfully marry her. He probably helped her out of sympathy. That's all.

"Between you and me, he never had a single girlfriend till date," Heather smiled.

Stella's eyes widened. _Wha..._

 _"_ Wait a second. Are you serious?!" Stella asked incredulously. Heather nodded with a giggle. _Honestly?_ Oh come on. Even if Brandon is an uber nerd, a nerd's gotta have a girlfriend every once in a while too. For Pete's sake, he's almost twenty four! And it's not like Brandon fitted the nerd stereotype either. He was handsome... _very very handsome._ Stella couldn't help but blush a little. As much as she hated to admit it, he really was handsome. He was nearly 6'3'' with a well-built physique that would nearly set all the women practically drooling. He carried himself in a manner effortlessly that practically screamed powerful and of course, many women did fall for the typical bad boy image.

"Either way, I really hope that you guys can make this work. We're not tying you two together just for your parents. I would _love_ to have you as my daughter-in-law," Heather smiled. Stella blushed a little and nodded. She liked Heather Shields. In many ways, Heather reminded Stella of her own mother. While Heather was more softer than Luna, she still showed a motherly affection towards Stella.

 **...**

 **...**

* * *

When Stella and Brandon were told that the wedding was promised to be held in a few days, they expected at least ten or fifteen. They sure as hell didn't expect three. _Three! A measly three!_

To each of them, time never flew by as fast as it did those three days. Lucas and Heather invited themselves into Brandon's home to make sure that their son didn't do anything mean to Stella. Basically, neither of the folks wanted the two to talk. At least not right now.

 _Soooo not a problem for either of them._

To be honest, dinner at the table never felt so awkward. The occasional bumps in the hallways were not awkward at all. Nope. They merely ignored each other by automatically going the opposite ways, causing Heather and Lucas to look at each and facepalm. Seriously? Were the two youths really going to do this in front of the parents?! But Stella and Brandon couldn't help it. There hadn't even been a peep between the two since they were told that they were being shipped.

Meanwhile, Stella texted Musa and Layla and this, of course, caused the latter two to ring her and squeal in excitement. The two clearly didn't acknowledge Stella's obvious discomfort and instantly made plans to come over to the wedding straight away.

* * *

 **~ Chelsea Piers - Bride's Room - 5:45 PM ~**

Finally... _the dreaded day has come._

Stella was seated in a chair looking absolutely miserable. Ugh, this was NOT how it was supposed to happen.

Marriage is something you dream about your entire life. In your mind, everything is spotlessly perfect. Perfection. Absolute perfection. That's what you wish for. In fact, that's what every bride on the planet wishes for. Every bride definitely has a fairy tale version of a perfect, happy, lovey-dovey marriage. She's the princess and he's her Prince Charming who came to whisk her away in a carriage called Marriage.

But to Stella, none of that is true. Right now, she's just a bride waiting for her impending doom. She's about to face the most awkward moment of her life. Outside the room, she could hear the distinct and excited chatter of the guests in the wedding hall. The wedding is set to take place at 6:15 PM. That means she only had thirty minutes left to enjoy her bachelor life.

Stella's hands shook. Even her legs started to quiver under the wedding dress. Her wedding dress was gorgeous, but Stella didn't feel any of that. The dress was trumpet-styled, which hugged Stella's curvy figure till the mid-hip until it started to flare gradually till the bottom. It was a strapless, sweet-heart neckline decorated with a small train at the back. The dress was a diamond white, vintage, lace-beaded sequin dress that suited Stella perfectly. She honestly had no idea how they ended up finding this dress that quickly. She really didn't care what dress she wore, so Heather managed all of the girlish works whereas Lucas managed from the groom's side.

Stella's hair was styled into a soft curly updo and her frontal bangs were clipped to the side elegantly with a white brooch accessory. Her makeup was kept to a bare minimum.

Basically, Stella and Brandon ended up following the "don't look at bride before the wedding or ill fortune awaits you" saying.

Just then, Stella looked up when the door clicked and revealed her gorgeous best friends. "OH MI MI GOSH! Stella, you look soooo beautiful!" Musa gushed when they eyed Stella. The blonde simply smiled. Layla wiped a happy tear from her eyes. "Awww our favorite blonde is getting married!"

Stella slumped. "Sorry if I don't share the enthusiasm, girls. I just...don't have it in me to enjoy it, you know." Musa and Layla glumly smiled.

Musa's eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait! Guess what?! YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHO WE BUMPED INTO EARLIER!"

Stella raised an eyebrow, "Your future boyfriends?"

Layla rolled her eyes. "Tempting, but no. It's Flora! We just saw her earlier!"

Stella's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

Musa excitedly jumped. "She's Brandon's sister, you dork!"

Stella's jaw dropped. Flora...Shields...? FLORA SHIELDS? _The Flora Shields?!_ Flora has been part of their gang years ago till middle school when she left to study at a different high school. It's been such a long time that she eventually lost touch with them. Stella felt a smile come up to her face. Finally! A familiar face! Oh and that would explain the floral outfits she's been donning all these months. She hasn't visited Los Angeles once after what happened.

So...Flora is Brandon's sister? Wow...talk about a small world. _Very small world._ How often is it that you find an old friend across the country nearly eight years later...? _Coincidence._

"Wow." That was all Stella could utter. "By the way, you girls look stunning." Musa and Layla wore similar sheer neck lace dresses coated with a golden tint. Stella couldn't choose a maid of honor between the two, so she made them both as maids of honor.

"Hey, Stel, no matter what happens...you'll _always_ have us," Musa said as she hugged her. Layla joined and soon they were all enveloped in a group hug. Stella's eyes glistened as she felt overwhelmed with emotions.

 _"Mind if I join in?"_ a soft voice spoke from the doorway causing the trio to break up the hug. Stella turned around and gasped.

"Flora, is that really you?" Stella asked as she smiled. Flora was a stunning female. She had a sun-kissed tan, caramel brown hair that went way past her waist, and emerald green eyes. She clearly resembled a younger version mother. She looked gorgeous.

Flora nodded as she took a few steps inside. Stella and Flora wrapped each other in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again, Stella. Although I wish that I didn't see you under these circumstances," Flora spoke quietly when they broke up. "When I heard that my brother was getting married, I didn't know it was you. When my mom told me, I simply assumed that it would be someone else with the same name as yours. But when I heard your whole name, then to say that I was shocked would be a heavy understatement. I'm so sorry about Uncle Radius and Aunt Luna."

Stella nodded sadly trying not to cry. "Thank you."

"Girls, it's time," Heather suddenly came rushing into the room out of nowhere. "Oh hey honey, I didn't see you here. Oh my God, you girls look so gorgeous," Heather wiped a tear from her eye.

"Well, Stella, this is my daughter-"

Flora interrupted with a small smile. "We know each other already. Remember when I studied in LA all those years ago at your brother's home? Well, Stella and I were best friends at that time."

Heather clapped her hands like a mad woman. "Awwwwww this is soooo sweet! But girls, we kind of really have to go. It's a little late already."

Stella, Musa, and Layla eyed the clock which still read 6:10. The ceremony didn't even start until 6:15. The bride doesn't come down until 6:20! So what exactly is the rush for? Heather disappeared out the door again frantically.

"Oh my God. This is my first wedding! What if I fall?!" Stella gasped when she felt anxious again.

Musa laughed. "First wedding? Jeez, how many do you plan to have?" Flora and Layla also burst out laughing, causing Stella to cross her arms stubbornly.

"Stop panicking, would you? You're making things worse for yourself," Layla said between laughing.

Stella snapped, "I'd like to see you on your wedding day!" Flora and Musa giggled at her outburst. Stella shook her head. "What if I ruin everything?! What if I fall?"

Flora dramatically yawned. "You know...every bride in the country would say that, but no one ever fell before. And Stel, ten years later down the road, it won't even matter. It'll be something you can laugh about."

Musa high-fived Flora who laughed. "Amen, sista!"

Stella, meanwhile, was lost in thought again. _Ten years down the road...?_

Her trance was interrupted when Heather came inside again carrying a beautiful rose bouquet. "The ceremony is starting. Flora, honey, why don't you go and have a seat?"

Flora nodded and winked at Stella. "You'll do great, Stella."

Stella weakly smiled. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time. _If only...if only this was her real wedding instead of a fake one..._ She didn't love the groom and neither did the groom love her. _Ten years down the road?_ Stella scoffed internally. She'd consider herself lucky if this marriage lasted a month.

Lucas knocked on the door to which Heather responded by opening it. Stella smiled at her soon-to-be in-laws. She was faking everything but at least this smile wasn't fake. Brandon's parents were good people.

Just then, the wedding march started to play with the song "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. Lucas offered his arm for Stella to take to which she accepted hesitantly. "Stella, honey, even if I'm not your father, from this day onwards, you're no less than my own daughter."

Stella's eyes glistened. "Thank you, Mr. Shi-I mean...Lucas. Thank you so much."

* * *

Tables and tables of food were laid across in a separate area. Even the wedding cake was massive, symbolizing the beautiful union of the soon-to-be married couple. There was even an orchestra and a band.

Chairs were placed in an orderly fashion where guests sat impatiently. Everyone's face was one of excitement and enthusiasm. Families, friends, and relatives gathered around as the air smelled of nothing but true happiness. Males were dressed in the usual tux with ties that matched their wives' or girlfriends' dresses. The women were dressed in all sorts of colors, nearly resembling a rainbow.

Everyone watched in slight awe and with knowing smiles as the maids of honor, Musa and Layla, walked down the aisle gracefully. They followed the adorable eight-year old flower girls who threw rose petals here and there. Then came the beautiful bride herself.

Stella could feel all eyes on her as she clutched Lucas's arm tightly. She felt like a nervous wreck. As she entered the aisle, she caught Brandon's eyes. His eyes were calm and collected while hers were a frenzy mess. She didn't know how to feel at the moment. She didn't see any trace of malice in his eyes. Not even a feeling of bitterness. _Oh come on. Show me what you're feeling!_ Stella thought inside. Her breathing only escalated as she neared him and finally...stopped. Soon, Lucas slipped his arm out as they neared the altar. He gave Stella's hand to Brandon who gently grasped it. He was wearing a tux with a black tie. Classic wedding material. Stella joined him as she stood next to him.

Musa and Layla took up their respective positions while five handsome men stood behind Brandon.

The pastor motioned for the guests to sit down. He coughed a little before continuing with a fatherly smile. "We have gathered here today in the presence of God to join Brandon Shields and Stella Solaria in the name of holy matrimony..."

The pastor went on about how holy a marriage is and how one should uphold that sacred union till death do them apart. Meanwhile, Stella and Brandon had to do everything they can in their power not to frown right then and there. They need to talk later.

The pastor, finally done with his speech about sacredness and marriage, turned to the groom. "Do you, Brandon Shields, take this woman, Stella Solaria, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded wife; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect her and to forsake all others for her sake; to cleave unto her, and her only, until death shall part you?"

"I do," Brandon said while turning to Stella.

Then it was Stella's turn.

"Do you, Stella Solaria, take this man, Brandon Shields, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded husband; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect him and to forsake all others for him sake; to cleave unto him, and him only, until death shall part you?"

Stella took a deep breath and turned to Brandon. "I do," she said softly. She averted her eyes instantly when she felt her eyes glisten again.

The pastor turned to the ring bearer, a young boy, and urged him to come forward. The boy took small steps forward and stopped before the groom and bride.

The pastor closed his book and held it with one hand. "If anyone has any concerns or restrictions regarding this holy affair, please speak now."

...

No one said anything.

...

As much as she hated to admit it, Stella wished that someone said something. She felt absolutely horrible. Brandon probably hates her so much right now. She wanted to sit down and just cry. This wasn't right.

The pastor, clearly oblivious to Stella's dilemma, smiled before turning to the couple, "You may now exchange the rings."

Brandon, with a deep inaudible breath, took Stella's slightly shaking hand and placed the ring gently onto her finger. Stella did the same. She looked back to the pastor, unable look into Brandon's eyes.

"Congratulations. You are now husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the pastor smiled.

Stella's eyes grew wide as she heard the priest. Brandon's face was calm and collected. He was smiling, but it clearly didn't touch his eyes. She faced him reluctantly. He gazed at her with...some kind of unknown care and wrapped a gentle arm around her waist. Her eyes held fear and he could see that. Brandon bent slightly and brushed his lips lightly against hers before softly kissing her. Stella closed her eyes and kissed him back slowly. She was scared. Seriously scared. At some point, she'll be alone with him and she'll have to face the music. She deprived him the chance to find love.

They pulled back after a few moments and gazed at each other before turning to the crowd. Stella and Brandon smiled when the crowd started to clap. Brandon's friends and even her friends had the gall to wolf-whistle. Ugh. Seriously? She was dying of fear over here and her friends were _clapping_. She's gonna talk to her girls later and give them each a piece of her mind.

And soon, the festivities started.

Stella, meanwhile, couldn't even begin to enjoy herself. She watched her friends as well as the rest of the people have fun. They were laughing, dancing, and singing. And meanwhile, she had secluded herself into a corner and was pretending to be busy eating. In reality, she's berating herself for letting herself get into this mess. She gasped when she caught Brandon's eye a few feet away. Her eyes widened and she instantly turned around. Her heart thumped and she shut her eyes for a moment. She jumped a little when she felt an arm wound around her waist.

"Stop that," a quiet voice whispered in her ear.

She turned to the side to see Brandon gazing down at her. Mutely, she glanced at his eyes searching for _any_ emotion.

"Don't you hate me?" she blurted out. His dark eyes averted from hers and glanced straight ahead. "We'll talk later. But for now, don't look so upset. There are people here who gossip, you know. At least act your part."

She nodded. Of course. His reputation would be at stake if she did anything wrong. Still feeling no less than miserable, she turned her attention back to the food in front of her. Despite the food looking so scrumptious, she didn't have any appetite.

"By the way..." he trailed off.

She turned to him again with scared eyes.

"Don't be scared of me, please. I'll feel like a criminal."

Stella nodded while casting down her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He gently lifted her chin with his finger. "Like I said earlier...we will talk later. For now...are you hungry?" He asked with a smile on his face.

Stella's eyes slightly widened at the grin on his face. _Oh._ He was probably acting the part. She nodded her head even though she didn't feel like eating anything.

The evening passed by eventfully for others, while not so greatly for some.

 _A few hours later..._

The family forced the bride and groom to spend the time at a hotel and come back tomorrow. It turns out that Brandon's parents have already booked a hotel for the two of them.

* * *

 **~ Taj Hotel - New York - 10:45 PM ~**

Brandon slid the key down the lock. When it clicked green, Brandon opened the door with Stella following suit. Brandon's eyes widened when he entered the room, causing Stella to crash into his back with an 'oomph' from the abrupt stop. Stella peeped from behind him and she felt the urge to faint right there. This room was clearly a honeymoon suite room. The bed was decorated all...honeymoonish. It was covered with roses and a bunch of candles were lit everywhere. Not to mention the can't-be-any-more-obvious _jacuzzi_ in the far corner...

They both looked at each other awkwardly. Brandon sighed and turned to Stella. "Stella, we need to talk. Like now."

 _Agreed._ Stella nodded uncomfortably. He stormed to the bed and dusted off the rose petals a little angrily while muttering something under his breath about how immature his parents and sister were for booking a dumb room like this. He sat on the bed and tapped on the place beside him, motioning for her to sit. Stella sat down slowly, still unable to look into his eyes.

"Look at me," he commanded. "Stella, please. I won't hurt you."

She shakily turned to him. His eyes softened when he realized how hurt and broken she appeared. "I'm so sorry, Brandon," she uttered feeling miserable. A tear fell from her eyes and slid down her cheek.

"Shhhh, stop crying, okay?" he said gently. He moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I don't hate you, you know. Why would you think that?"

"Because...because it's my fault that we had to do this!" she said weakly.

"No, it isn't. It's our parents' fault for thinking that we'll ever be okay with this dumb arrangement."

Stella nodded sadly and kept silent while he continued.

"How about this? We'll go back to how we were before. We can pretend that this whole ordeal never even happened," he suggested.

Stella nodded, still upset.

"Would you say something instead of bouncing your head up and down?" he said annoyed.

She let out a small laugh at his tone and wiped a lone tear away. "Okay."

"So that means you'll stay here in New York. No more going back to LA. Stay here with me," he said. She turned to him with shock. "Wait, really?"

"I don't want to stay here worrying about you. I'd rather keep you in front of my eyes everyday. I'll let you go when I'm sure that you'll be okay."

He let her go and stood up. He freed his collar by untying his tie. He removed his tux jacket and also unbuttoned the shirt cuffs underneath. Stella's eyes widened as she averted her eyes away. Oh God, is he seriously going to undress in front of her now? Sure, buddy. Make the situation even more awkward.

"Well, looks like we're gonna have to share the bed," he spoke.

"What?" Stella asked in alarm.

"Look around, princess. There really isn't another one in here. I don't plan on being a gentleman and letting you sleep on the bed alone." He smirked at her and she slightly scowled. She honestly felt a little better than she did a few hours ago.

"What the hell was Flora thinking?" Brandon muttered under his breath while tossing the tie aside. "What?" Stella asked confused.

"Didn't you see the cheesy roses earlier? Obviously Flora's work. The bed was obviously intended for something else," he smirked obviously enjoying Stella's squirming.

He chuckled. "So...wanna watch a movie?"

"Huh?" Stella asked dumbfounded.

He nodded towards a counter near the bathroom. A bright fuchsia covered laptop lay on the slab. "Flora forgot her laptop in here. Odd."

"Um...sure, why not?"

He smirked before grabbing his sister's laptop and settling down on the bed. Stella sat beside him, making sure to keep a respectable distance from him. She squirmed slightly as she sat cross-legged on the bed with great difficulty. Whoever designed these stupid dresses clearly stated that they weren't meant to sit in. "What's wrong?" she heard him ask without looking at her.

"Oh um. Nothing," Stella stated quickly. She fidgeted with the material binding around her waist. _God, loosen up already._ Stella visibly frowned trying to loosen this damned thing. Ugh. If Brandon wasn't here, she'd have no problem ripping this off of her and strolling down in her underwear.

Brandon turned to her, obviously annoyed with her persistent moving, when he realized what she was trying to do. _Of course._ That dress would definitely be uncomfortable as hell for her. He couldn't but shake his head. Why bother wearing something that you can't bear to be in? _Women._ When will they learn a sense of comfort? Sighing, he got up from the bed which got Stella's attention.

Stella's eyes widened when she saw him...unbuttoning his crisp white shirt. Gasping, she covered her eyes with a squeal. "What are you doing?!" she hollered instantly. Brandon smirked when she shied her face away from him.

"Don't you have eyes? I'm pretty sure you can tell what I'm doing."

"...You're taking off your clothes."

He smirked harder. "Don't flatter yourself, blondie. Here."

Stella gasped when she felt him throw his shirt in her face. She looked at him incredulously (and thankful that he's not completely shirtless). He still had on a white undershirt on that made her sigh in relief.

"Wear that. You won't have a wink of sleep in that dress. And since I'm a light sleeper, I won't have you tossing and turning," he said as he relaxed on the bed again. Stella stood up with great difficulty, trying her best not to move too much in this nightmare of a dress. She bolted to the bathroom with his shirt as quickly as she could. She locked the door behind her. With a frustrated heave, she took the dress off her, shivering as some of the sequins and lace brushed against her skin.

Stella placed the huge dress on a hangar at the back of the door. She took Brandon's shirt into her hands and...stopped. It felt weird to wear his shirt. It was either wearing that horrendous dress or stroll around in her underwear. She wore his shirt and quickly buttoned it up. A whiff of an intoxicating cologne filled her nostrils instantly and she couldn't help but blush a little. She looked at herself in the mirror and laughed. She looked smaller in his shirt. It went past her arms and a little past her thighs.

Smiling a little, she took off the pins holding up her hair and shook it loose. Her hair spilled down her shoulders in bouncy curls. Satisfied and relieved, she turned around and opened the door to step out.

"My sister watches movies like a girl. Seriously? The Notebook?!" Brandon muttered when he heard the door click. Stella stepped out with his shirt on. It was just an inch short of her knees and she stood at the opening of the bathroom staring at nothing in particular. She felt a little under dressed. Correction: she felt downright naked. Whatever. Thank goodness she was completely covered. That wedding dress was just too tight to sleep in.

"Last time I checked, Flora _is_ a girl. Jeez, give that girl some respect. And the movie too! It's one of the best classics in time!" Stella defended.

Brandon rolled his eyes. He chose not to comment on the movie. It was ridiculous in his opinion and that's a decided fact. There is a thing called 'too much sap', not that the ladies around him realized it.

Stella walked to the bed and sat beside him cross legged. She wrapped herself around a blanket and scrolled through the list of movies on the laptop.

She frowned a second later. "You're right. Your sister is such a girl. Hmm. I don't remember watching half of these movies."

But...he didn't hear her. The moment she came near him, Brandon couldn't help but look at her. She smelled of lavenders and she looked so little in his white shirt. Even the sleeves went past her hands. Wasn't she afraid of being alone with a man? She was fragile and vulnerable compared to him. Any kind of accidental touch would be highly inappropriate right now. He subtly scooted a little away from her.

"Can't we just access the net? We have the hotel's wifi password."

He snapped out of his trance and shook his head. "I already picked one. Insidious. I heard the new one came out."

Stella's eyes widened. "Excuse me? No way, I am not, _I repeat,_ I am not watching that!"

Brandon facepalmed. "There's no bigger wimp in this world than girls."

Stella scoffed at his pompous comment. "Jeez, you're not exactly all that brave either. If Godzilla comes, I'm sure you'd be tripping all over the place."

He chuckled. "Yeah, but that's a case of 'if', princess. I'm not scared of a movie."

He grabbed her hand and placed the laptop on both of their laps. Stella glared and crossed her arms with a pout. She closed her eyes and tried to zone off the horrible music at the titles itself. Ugh. A majority of these horror movies won't scare her if there were just no heart-thumping music. The sounds are alone to scare the living daylights out of her. Just then, Brandon turned the lights off.

"What the...?! Brandon, turn the lights back on!" Stella yelled.

"Shh, a movie should be watched in a theater effect, ya know? Shut it and watch the movie."

Stella fumed. "BRANDON SHIELDS, IF YOU DON'T TURN ON THE LIGHTS RIGHT THIS INSTANT-"

A yelp suddenly escaped her lips when one of the characters in the movie screamed in terror. Brandon roared at Stella's reaction. She clutched her heart to calm her racing nerves. It's official. She never hated horror movies more than she did right now. She hit his shoulder to stop him from laughing, but it only encouraged the idiot even more. Stella closed her eyes, hoping to zone out this nightmare.

...

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 7:30 AM ~**

A sleepy sigh left his lips when he felt the sun's rays penetrating through the windows. Brandon blinked a few times before opening his eyes fully. He felt his back go sore as he moved. He sighed when he realized that he was still sitting up. He must have fallen asleep sitting up during the movie. Shame. He had been wanting to watch it for a while. The laptop still lay in front of him with a blank screen. Poor thing. Its battery must've been exhausted.

He moved to get up only to feel a weight. His eyes slightly widened when he realized that Stella's head was on his shoulder and her hands were in her lap.

He turned towards her and gazed at her for a few moments. He held her face gently as he stood up and lay her down on the bed gently. He pulled the covers over her. Stepping back, he yawned before walking to the bathroom to freshen up for the day.

Nearly forty minutes later, Brandon stepped out of the bathroom looking freshly showered. He ruffled his damp hair as he threw the used towel on the floor. He heard a moan emit from the bed. He raised an eyebrow when he saw how much Stella had moved in the last thirty minutes. The covers were ruffled and were a tangled mess as she sprawled herself across the bed.

"Stella, wake up," he said rudely as he went to the bed.

"Shh, not so loud..." she moaned sleepily.

"Stop acting like you have a hangover. Wake up, you airhead," he called out again as he ruffled his damp hair in attempt to dry it faster. With a swift hand, he pulled the covers right off her body.

"Hmm...," she moaned again sleepily. With closed eyes, Stella held out her hand. She opened and closed her palm repeatedly and silently asked for her stolen blanket. He scoffed.

He rolled his eyes and forcibly pulled her up with his arm. "Stella, wake up!" he shook her violently. Stella sleepily opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly. Brandon tapped her cheek as she yawned a little.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," he shook her lightly this time, feeling amused. "We won't get the breakfast buffet, you know. Hurry up."

"What's wrong with me? I feel so sore...," she muttered.

"Yeah, that's kind of typical for a bride's first night with her groom," he smirked.

At that comment, Stella's eyes opened fully and she blushed at the suggestive, inappropriate comment like a ripened tomato. Did he really just say that?

He laughed at her reaction. "Well, that woke you up."

Stella slapped the blush off of her face. This is so embarrassing! She stared at him who donned a new pair of jeans and a hoodie. "Um...where'd you get those?" He pointed to a cover behind her on a counter. Stella nodded as she stood up. She grudgingly walked to the bathroom feeling oddly sore.

Stella quickly did her daily business and showered. She slipped into a light pink floral dress. Oh. _Flora._ What else did she expect from that brunette?

 **One hour later...**

Stella and Brandon walked out of the hotel, taking their belongings and Flora's laptop. They went to Brandon's sleek black car and threw the covers in the back. Stella hopped into the passenger's side and Brandon took over the wheel. Stella happily sighed as she arched her back over the seats.

He chuckled, "Your back still sore?"

She nodded tiredly. "VERY. I'm not used to this. How come you're already good to go?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's called exercise. Maybe you should try it out sometime. It's not that hard to straighten out a stiffened back."

She closed her eyes and zoned out his irritating voice. "I'm sorry but I don't do manual labor."

He rolled his eyes as he pulled out of the lot.

"Home?" she asked.

He nodded. "I'm hungry," he said with a demand in his tone.

"Are you seriously asking me to cook for you?" she asked incredulously.

"And if I am, princess?" he smirked.

"Prince, then I'd tell for you to stow your laziness somewhere and cook for yourself," Stella snapped. What did he think of her? His slave? _Buzz off._

Brandon suppressed a small smile. Stella, however, couldn't help but smile a little to herself. She looked out the window as she watched the car cruise by buildings. This'll work out. They'll make it work. They don't have to live as husband and wife just because they're married. They can be just as caring, *ahem* tolerating, towards each other.

* * *

 _ **So...thank you so much for reading :) I'd love a review!**_


	9. Finally Friends

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **So so so sorry that this was THIS late. I'm normally not a late updater, but college life just kind of got in the way. Now that I'm free, I have a little time to update.**_

 ** _MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :D_**

 ** _Stay safe and hope the new year 2018 brings you lots of good luck and tremendous happiness! :)_**

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Home - 9:00 AM ~**

A week after Stella's and Brandon's marriage...

Things were back to 'normal'. Brandon and Stella pretended as if nothing happened between the two of them. Well...to be honest, it was _kind of_ true in a weird sort of way. All they shared was the traditional "You may now kiss the bride" kiss.

Stella slowly started to heal. Her pain started to numb but she knew that would never truly go away. A part of her will always be heartbroken and distraught. But she knew. She knew that she has to accept her parents' death at some point. She can't let it drown her into oblivion. That's _not_ what her parents would want. However, these things do take time and effort. It's not as easy as it sounds.

This past one week had been...fun?

Stella initially had thought that this marriage was going to break her even more. But the result had been opposite. It was easier to pretend that no such thing has happened instead of reliving it over and over again. And that's exactly what the two of them did. Brandon never uttered a single word that made her feel like it's her fault and she was grateful for that.

"STELLA!"

Stella jumped out from her comfortable sitting position and stood up instantly. She clutched her heart and looked to her side to see Brandon looking downright pissed off. "Brandon Shields, can't you ever call me normally?!" Stella snapped. No need to give her a heart attack over her name!

"I did, but you weren't on this planet," he snapped as he walked into the living room with a coffee mug and sat opposite her. "What the hell were you doing?" he shook his head annoyed.

"I was thinking, thank you very much!" Stella sat back down and relaxed once again.

Brandon crossed his legs over one another and calmly drank his coffee. He felt her stare on him and looked at her questioningly. "What?"

"What did you holler for?" Stella asked curiously. He better give a good explanation for scaring the living daylights out of her or her hand's gonna say hello to his face.

He shrugged, "Forget it. I was pissed at you for ignoring my presence."

Stella slapped her forehead. "I swear you have the ego of a dinosaur," she muttered loud enough for him to hear her. He rolled his eyes and resumed his coffee drinking sesh.

With nothing better to do, he gave her a once-over. "You're utterly ridiculous, you know that?" he smirked while gesturing to her.

"What's wrong with me?" Stella asked confused. She looked at herself. She was wearing a forest green nightgown that went till her knees. It didn't look inappropriate at all.

"You're a mess," he blurted while gesturing to her hair.

Stella sighed exasperated. With another small sigh, she ran her fingers through her long hair, untangling the knots from last night's tossing. "You know...if you had long hair, you'd be as ridiculous as me." Brandon smirked, "Yeah, but I don't. So I can insult you all I want."

Stella rolled her eyes. "As if you don't do that enough already," she muttered to herself.

She sat cross-legged and arched her back against the sofa with a soft moan. She stared up at the ceiling, losing herself into a trance again. It's been over two months already. Two and a half actually. She really wanted time to stop running for a hot second, so she can have some thinking done. Her mind's been a bit clearer since the past week for some odd reason. She can't stay here for free every day even if Brandon is a generous jerk.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he interrupted.

"Just thinking, that's all...," she muttered while still staring up at the ceiling.

"Really? I thought you were playing baseball," he sarcastically uttered.

She sighed. "Fine...I want to go back to LA, okay?"

Invisible to her, Brandon slightly froze. Something in his eyes changed unconsciously to him also. For some reason, he didn't like that she's thinking about going back. She's...kind of married right now. So...shouldn't she stay here?

"Any explicit reason?" he asked neutrally.

"...I can't stay here, okay? I appreciate that you've been generous enough to let me hog your place, but...I feel like I'm living off on you. It's kind of true actually. There is nothing in this house that belongs to me, yet I'm here. Surprise, surprise. Even these clothes aren't mine," Stella sarcastically looked at herself.

"What are you going to do in LA back at your house?" he asked. "Stella, you're not hogging anything here, alright? If that's your only reason for wanting to go back, then you don't have to leave. We've already had this conversation before."

"It's not just that...I don't have anything to do anymore," she said sadly.

"You have college," he smirked.

"Hello! I graduated two months ago..."

"You haven't graduated from post-graduation. You're accepted in Princeton, aren't you?"

Stella blinked. Princeton...

She had forgotten about it. After everything she just went through, Princeton had been the last thing on her mind. She had been moping all this time to even acknowledge that she had college starting from Fall. Wait a sec...how did he know about it?

"How do you know that?" she asked curiously, a little bewildered.

He shrugged, "You kind of told me yourself, you dimwit."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you did. You know...in one of your many miserable attempts to prove to me that you're smarter than me," he smirked. She gasped. She stood up indignantly and stormed over to him. "You are so full of yourself!" she screamed at his manipulation. She may have told him but it was never intended for show off. She stormed off to 'her bedroom', clearly angry. She sat on her bed with an angry pout. But he made a good point earlier.

 _Princeton..._

When she got the admission to attend the college a few months, she had been psyched. It was one of her top colleges and she had been so excited to go there. But now...she didn't know anymore. First, she experienced a miserable breakup. Well, Jason is barely on her mind anymore. Her parents' death weighed down on her shoulders way too much to even remotely give access to the breakup. But maybe attending Princeton was a good idea. She can begin her life with a fresh start. She can get away from all of this. She can move away from LA, NY, and...Brandon.

Her face looked glum. She bit her lip. Going to Princeton would mean moving away from Brandon. He'd probably be glad to be rid of her once and for all. He can't exactly tell to her face to get out of the house, so he was being nice. She sighed. What should she do? She didn't have any energy nor the zeal to attend Princeton. It's like she lost her faith in her life. No matter how many philosophical quotes she said to herself, it's not that easy. It's not easy to get the walking-on-sunshine thing going on no matter how many times she tried to motivate herself. She felt drained and miserable at the end of the day anyway.

Any lone time she had was interrupted by Brandon one way or another. The result would either be her storming off (mostly this) or him laughing his ass off at her expense. Either way, she's the one being doomed each time.

Sighing, she picked up her phone and opened up her browser. She opened Princeton's homepage and searched for Fall semester's joining date. To be honest, she was mostly curious. She still didn't know if she's going to attend or just laze off. She had her parents' company to back her up, so she's not financially broke. She can take over the company as the new executive director and not worry about anything else. But her heart's not prepared for it. She's not ready to run her parents' company, but she can't freely eat from Brandon's bank account either.

Maybe attending Princeton is a good choice. She had a scholarship, so she didn't have to worry about anything. She just needed a place to stay. College starts in ten more days, so she's pretty sure that the time to sign up for dorms is way past late now. She bit her lip.

Picking herself up from the bed, she lazily strolled to the bathroom to take a shower. It should help her get her mind off life a bit.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Home - Brandon's Bedroom - 10:30 AM ~**

"Can I use your laptop?" Stella asked a little annoyed. She had mustered up the courage to go to his room only for him to act like the cocky jerk he's always been. But she had to admit. His room was incredible. It was sophisticated and modern. He was organized and neat. His wardrobe was slightly open, giving her a view of what appeared to be expensive suits and dress shirts. She's probably been once or twice, but she never paid much attention to anything at that point.

"The magic word?" Brandon smirked while looking up from his laptop.

"Don't push it."

He chuckled. "Suit yourself."

Stella tossed her wet, damp hair over her shoulders as she made herself over to Brandon's bed. "I can sit...right?" she asked nervously while crossing her arms. She's never been to a guy's room, let alone sit on his bed.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked incredulously. "The bed's not made of knives, you know." He shook his head while scooting over a little to give her space. Stella blushed as she sat next to him.

"...you've never been to a man's room?" he asked while noticing the blush that made its way to her cheeks. Still blushing, she shook her head. "I was never um...that close with any guy before, so..."

"Are you saying that you consider me close?" Brandon smirked. Stella blushed again no matter how hard she tried to resist. What was happening to her? Just a few minutes ago, she was mourning. So where the hell did this blush come from?

Shaking it off, she turned to him only to gulp internally when she realized how close they actually were. "We're living together, so I kind of have no choice."

She turned her eyes back to the laptop on her lap, trying to calm her racing nerves. It seems as if their proximity didn't affect him at all.

"What are you looking for?" he asked curiously while peering at the screen.

"...I'm booking a ticket to LA," Stella quietly said.

"What?! Stella, are you serious?" he asked while turning her forcefully to face him.

"I'm sorry, Brandon. I don't want to stay here. It's not you, okay? It's me. Listen, you either go to work or you stay in this room working. But me? I don't know what I'm doing here. I feel like loading off of you and frankly, I hate it."

"Why LA? Why can't you go and study at Princeton?!" he asked her.

"...I don't know..." she murmured. "I guess I don't want to go. I'm sorry. I just want people to leave me alone." She slumped her shoulders.

"...Is that it? Is that what's become of you now? I should've known better. You know...I had a hope that you would return. I hoped that you would come back with due time. But you know what? I don't think that'll happen."

"Why're you so upset? Brandon, this is my decision, okay?! You should be glad that I'm choosing to leave finally!" Stella snapped.

"I keep telling you that I _want_ you to stay here, but you just can't seem to get it through your thick head, can you?! You're feeling sorry for yourself, Stella. You're pitying yourself. Stop making excuses about anything else," he said angrily.

"Whatever I choose to do, why're you concerned about it? Last time I checked, you can barely stand me! I mean, there barely goes a day by where we don't fight," Stella replied with the same tone.

"Yeah yeah you keep telling yourself that," he snapped as he stood up from the bed and left the room. Stella suppressed the urge to fight back a frustrated yell. See? This was what she meant. Either the two have great fun or they fight really badly that results in one of them storming off. Stella stood up from the bed and followed him.

"Brandon! WAIT!" She called out as she broke into a sprint and followed him out of the room.

Great. Where did he go off now? Puzzled, Stella checked her room and even the living room downstairs. She stood at the railing near the stairs on the second floor. She scratched her head, "Um...okay...people don't just disappear into thin air."

"No, they don't," a voice came from behind making her jump. She yelped when she heard an amused chuckle. Fuming, she turned around and instinctively slapped his chest.

"Don't you think that I've suffered enough physical abuse?" he dramatically clutched his heart. There he goes. One minute, he's pissed off and the next, he's become cocky. She'll never understand this infuriating man. She rolled her eyes, "Yeah well. That's what you get for sneaking up on people."

She bit her lip for a moment. "Why are you so angry at me leaving?" Stella asked. She thought he'd be psyched on the inside.

He took one long moment to look at her. He knew why. It's because _he'll miss her._ He actually smiled genuinely after a long, long time. He silently frowned at thinking about the past. Shrugging it off, he remembered the first time he saw Stella. _The cafe..._

And then at her house. He found it amusing how she blew up at everything he said. He had been cold and distant to everyone for a long time. She was different. She didn't care that he was cold. In fact, it made her angry. She didn't throw herself at him unlike many girls. She seemed immune to his looks and his opulent background. But then again, he didn't blame her. After her parents' death and their uh...wedding, he was surprised to see a little of the old Stella coming out of her hardened shell.

He wanted her to stay. She was interesting and that's why he had been so adamant that she stayed.

"Excuse me!" she waved her arms frantically in his face. He chuckled at her adorable face.

Stella's widened instantly widened when she suddenly felt herself being pulled into a protective embrace. She let out a surprised squeak when Brandon stroked her hair gently.

"I want you to stay here...with me," he whispered. "We may fight and we may not stand each other, but just stay here. _Please."_

Stella's lips parted in shock. His voice...it seemed so _earnest_ right now that she didn't know what to think or say. As far as she knew, Brandon didn't care about anyone. Hell, he acted like a total jerk right in front of his father so she had assumed...that he was just an ungrateful brat. But right now, she didn't know what to feel anymore. She grudgingly admitted to herself that she didn't want to go back to LA either. She wasn't ready yet and frankly, she didn't know if she'll ever be. And now, here comes the brown-haired man, who she thought apparently hates her, asking her to stay. She thought she detected a tone of sadness in his voice. His normally rich, collected voice was laced with longing and sadness.

 _Can she stay...?_

She stared up at him who seemed to wait for an answer. "Okay," she finally said with a small unsure voice. His lips broke out into a small smirk and he let her go instantly. "I knew you can't resist me for long," he smirked harder. _Way to ruin a 'moment'._ Even if he was just pretending to plead, this was just rude.

Stella's eyes widened before she scowled. "Excuse me?!" she hollered before she hit his shoulder yet again. _Ugh._ She sighed a second later. "Well, I have to go and get my stuff anyway. So I'll need to go to LA anyway."

"I'll come with you," he shrugged.

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to come for me, you know."

He smirked. "Don't flatter yourself, blondie. Think of it as coming back to get my own stuff."

She rolled her eyes.

"So what's next?" she heard him ask.

She ran her fingers through her hair. "I don't know. The time to sign up for dorms is pretty much over. And my friends have accepted a job, so they're not going to college. And that means I need to go and look for new accommodation in Princeton."

He rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "...I think I can arrange something..."

"Jeez, I wonder how."

"Do you have a problem living with a guy...? I'm assuming not, so I'll just-"

"You're assuming wrong! How do you expect me to live with some random guy?!"

"I'm a random guy," he smirked.

Stella slapped her forehead. "You're...different. You're...um...you."

"What if he's gay?" he shrugged. _A gay guy?_

"...I suppose it's okay?"

Brandon rolled back his shoulder blades. He smoothly took out his phone. "It's settled then. I have a friend who lives there. His name's Jay and I'll ask him if he can manage an annoying blonde."

"Rude much?" Stella muttered. "Wait. Are you serious? Like really serious?"

"No, I just like to blab nonsense for fun," he said sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

She had to suppress the urge to let out a frustrated sigh. Is it that hard to be a little modest? "No, not like that. He doesn't know me and vice versa. Won't he feel troubled or...?"

She watched him shake his head 'no'. "No, it's fine. He's a good friend, so I'm sure he won't refuse. Pack your bags then, if there's nothing else."

With that, Brandon turned around on his heel and left, while punching into the keys on his phone.

* * *

 **~ 6:00 PM ~**

"What's wrong?" Stella whispered as she followed behind him. Brandon had a small glare on his face that Stella didn't miss. "Nothing," he snapped angrily that instantly shut her up. Stella averted her eyes away and ignored the sharp sting she felt somewhere inside. _Well, excuse me for worring._

They were currently in his parents' house. Heather had been nice enough to kindly invite them for a warm gourmet dinner, but Brandon had been acting like a jerk (what else is new?) since they got here.

"Stella, you look wonderful!" Heather warmly greeted them each with a big smile. "Heather, thank you for inviting us," Stella genuinely smiled at her as she hugged the woman back.

"Now, now, where's my daughter-in-law?" Lucas came out from nowhere with another smile. Stella's heart sank. _Daughter-in-law?_ Yeah, right. She turned to Brandon but only for a split second. Ever since the invite, Brandon's been awfully cold to her. Forget the stupid invite. He's been cold to her ever since... _the wedding._ Stella suppressed the hurt she felt at the moment. No, she didn't expect him to be happy about this. But...he can at least try to hide his anger. It made her feel like an awful person.

She took a deep breath before smiling tightly at Lucas. "Hi, Lucas," she greeted as she gave him a light hug.

Brandon crumpled up his fists as he saw the exchange. He shut his eyes for a moment to suppress the rage he felt at the moment. "Don't," he suddenly said making everyone look at him. When he saw the puzzled looks on everyones' faces, he rolled his eyes. "Don't call her your daughter-in-law. At least not in front of me," he snapped. With an angry sigh, he placed his hands in his pockets as he made his way in.

Heather and Lucas looked at each other sadly. They turned to Stella who looked upset too. "Stella, I'm sorry he-" Heather started.

Stella put up her hand. "It's okay. I'm used to it. Don't worry," she said. Heather rubbed her back for comfort but it didn't ease Stella's anxiety. This was so unfair. _Life was unfair._ She had to deal with the same issues as him, but why hate on her so much?! In fact, she's dealing with a lot more. And it's not like she forced herself onto him. They were both forced into something they didn't want.

With a sigh, Stella followed Heather further into the house. Their house definitely screamed lavish too, but it was less urbanized. It actually seemed like a cozy and comfortable home. Brandon's was luxurious and it would seem like a home too if he let her feel like a normal person.

When they entered into the dining room, Stella completely averted her eyes away from the brunette who was already seated at the table. She could feel his eye on her, but she refused to spare him a glance. From her perspective, she didn't do anything wrong. It was because of her they're in this mess, but this was in no way her fault.

Lucas sat opposite Brandon. Both of them looked royally pissed off. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Lucas furiously whispered from across the table as Stella and Heather disappeared into the kitchen.

Brandon gave a death glare that nearly stunned Lucas. A shiver ran down the latter's spine. "You. You're what's wrong. You have no idea how much I loathe you and inviting us here only reminds me of it."

Lucas's eyes flashed intense hurt. Here was his beloved son sitting across him. But the way his son looked at him only made him feel like dirt. "How many times do I have to apologize to you?! Do I need to wear a T-shirt that says I'm sorry?! How many times do I need to say it?!" Lucas whisper-yelled.

Brandon paused. "Until it comes from here," he said coldly pointing to his heart with his finger.

 _Another pause._

"What did Stella do? You have no right to embarrass her like that-"

"You're such a hypocrite, dad. You have no right to tell me how to treat women right. And what I do with that girl is my business. I'm married to her, remember?" Brandon mockingly said. His eyes held venom and to be honest, those eyes scared Lucas. There was nothing but hate in those eyes and he wasn't sure if it was directed at him or Stella. He prayed to God that it's not Stella. If something happens to her because of his son's anger management issues, he'll never forgive himself.

Before Lucas could say anything, his wife and Stella came into the dining room carrying a few trays with dishes. "Dinner's ready," Heather spoke with enthusiam. Stella, however, didn't say a single word. Brandon glanced at her, who quickly averted her eyes away from him. The two women set the table and took their seats. Stella, grudgingly, took the only seat available which was next to Brandon.

The table was eerily silent. Both Heather and Stella noticed how the men stared at each other. Were they enemies or father and son? One could easily mistake them as foes.

"Well, help yourselves!" Heather spoke trying to be cheerful in order to break the tension.

Brandon glanced at the table with a frustrated mind. He had no appetite right now. He turned to the silent blonde sitting beside him. With a deep sigh, he suddenly stood up. His parents looked at him in concern. "Mom, we're leaving," he suddenly said as he grabbed Stella's arm and dragged her out of the seat. Stella looked at him afraid and tried to pry her arm free but he shut her futile attempts with a small glare that sent a chill down her spine.

"Brandon, wait-" Heather started. Lucas stood up too, concerned for Stella. Brandon looked unmistakenably angry and furious.

Brandon raised his hand to stop them both. "I'm not going to kill her, so you can relax. If you don't want this to repeat, don't _ever_ invite us to your house," he growled. He turned around and took a few steps with a baffled Stella who looked frightened out of her daylights. He paused for a moment and turned to the side. "I'm sorry, mom," he said softly.

Gripping Stella's arm tighter, he walked out of there.

Heather and Lucas stared at each other with displeased frowns.

 _Meanwhile..._

Brandon angrily stormed outside to the car and Stella struggled to keep up with his long strides. She was practically running in her heels, which were a poor choice of footwear. He let her arm go as they neared the car and finally came to a stop.

"Get in," he said coldly. Stella opened the passenger door wordlessly and slid inside quickly. At this point, she knew better than to question his motives. An angry Brandon is not someone she should mess with.

The car ride on the way back was painful. Literally painful. Stella wished for the ground to swallow her whole. She didn't want to be anywhere near this highly unstable man right now. He looked ready to explode and Stella could only wonder why he hasn't done so already.

* * *

 **~ 7:30 PM ~**

Brandon unlocked the door to his house and opened the door (nearly kicking it). Stella silently followed him and closed the door behind her quietly. She stood there limply staring at his retreating back. He didn't even spare a second glance at her. His anger didn't even dissipate a little. Stella stood there at the doorstep dumbly not knowing what to do.

She cringed when she heard his bedroom door slam shut a few seconds later. A lump formed in her throat nearly choking her. Her eyes grew glassy and she struggled not to lose it right then and there. She thought they were fine now. This week hadn't been the best, but whatever. It was a first step as any.

Why was he behaving like this? Why did he hate her this way? If it was the other way around, she was sure that she wouldn't hate him. So...why take out all of his frustration and pent-up anger on her?

Stella wordlessly walked to the guest room which was apparently hers. She closed the door behind her silently. She didn't want to trigger any unnecessary sounds and possibly wake up an angry lion. A tear down her cheek. She involuntarily slid down the door with her back against it. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. She sat against the door with her knees brought up against her chest. She wrapped her arms around herself and voicelessly cried.

The night of their wedding...

 _"We'll be like we were before..."_

His words echoed in her mind. He told her that they'll be okay. He told her that he didn't hate her. _We'll be like we were before..._

Really? Is this what they were like before? Fighting? Sure, they fought before but she never cried. Right now, she just wanted to sleep and never wake up. He made her feel so horrible and so unwanted. He made her feel so useless. She felt disgusted with herself and she didn't even know why. She didn't know why she felt like a rotten human being.

Her body trembled violently as she sobbed. She wanted to wake up.

 _Please let me wake up from this nightmare,_ Stella sobbed. She wanted her mom and dad to comfort her right now. She felt so alone and so distraught. The pain she has been trying to forget hit her again with a fresh wave. She missed her parents so much. _So so so so much._ Despair, hopelessness, and anguish consumed her again.

* * *

 **~ 9:00 PM ~**

In his room, Brandon lay down on his bed. He placed his arm over his forehead and closed his eyes. He tried to zone out everything that's happened a few hours ago. It was no secret that the mere presence of his father irked him to no end. He didn't even know where all the anger came from. But he remembered feeling so furious and incensed. It was almost as if he was consumed by wrath and vengeance that it scared even him. His eyes suddenly widened as he sat up. _Oh no..._

 _Stella..._

He hurt the poor girl with his words. She's already highly sensitive, especially now. And glaring at her for no particular reason isn't the nicest thing to do. He ran his fingers through his hair and shut his eyes. He pictured her face. It was gilded with a mixture of humiliation, hurt, and pure sadness. He snapped his eyes open. She no longer smiled. This evening was meant for them to enjoy and have a few laughs. But he went out of his way to ruin it. For someone who claims to care for that girl, he surely sucked at showing it.

He picked himself up from the bed and threw on a shirt. Without a word, he quickly sprinted out the door.

 _He had a lot of making up to do._

* * *

 **~ 10:15 PM ~**

Brandon knocked on Stella's door.

...

 _No response._

 _..._

With pursed lips, he knocked again.

...

 _No response._

 _..._

"Stella?" he tried again with his voice this time.

...

 _No response._

 _..._

Well, he kind of deserved the cold treatment. He tried the knob and to his surprise, it was open. With slight hesitation, he slowly opened it. The room was dark and the lights were shut off. He raised an eyebrow. Asleep already? Or did she go out? _She better be in there,_ he thought a little peeved at the silence. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw a lump safely sleeping on the bed. He slowly made himself over to the sleeping form. He turned on the lamp on her nightstand. Her face instantly showed itself in a dim view. His breath slightly hitched. For the first time in months, he saw her face clouded with serenity. It was so peaceful, so calm, and so tranquil. It seemed as if she's not burdened by the weight of the world on her shoulders. Even though the light from the lamp only glowed faintly, her face shone in the darkness. He sat at the edge of her bed softly.

Reaching over, he touched her shoulder. He realized that she hasn't changed from the dress she wore earlier. She must've been upset enough to go right ahead to bed. I mean, who sleeps at ten o'clock in this generation? Sighing, he bent over and shook her slightly.

"Stella, wake up," he whispered as he shook her gently. She slowly stirred but didn't make any further movements. He smiled slightly and shook her once more. "Wake up, blondie," he said a little louder. With a small gasp, he watched as Stella opened her eyes and stared at him for a moment. She let out a yelp and bolted upright. Brandon's eyes widened and he moved forward to close her mouth with his hand. Stella let out a muffled scream against his hand.

"Shh, stop screaming! It's only me," he hissed. He removed his hand when she finally stopped with her mad fest. Stella stared at him before looking at the clock. Her eyes widened. It's so late already? She felt as if she fell asleep just a minute ago. She turned to him again and she recollected the evening's events.

 _Please don't talk about that._ _Please don't talk about that._ _Please don't talk about that._ _Please don't talk about that._ Stella silently chanted over and over again. She was in no mood for another round of pain again. She just wanted to go back to crying herself to sleep.

Brandon searched her face for the sign of peace he saw earlier. _Nothing._ Instead, she looked almost afraid to even meet his eye. He can't blame her. He _did_ act like a savage.

"Stella?" he said gently to catch her attention. She stubbornly looked everywhere else but him. "What do you want now?" she muttered. She didn't even bother to hide the bitterness in her voice.

He paused for a moment. He grabbed her wrist and she looked startled. Her wide eyes did nothing but cause pain to him. Still holding her wrist firmly, he sat beside her. He leaned back against the headboard causing Stella to look at him strangely. "Um what exactly are you..." she started but was immediately cut off when he pulled her into his arms.

"What the-!" Stella looked startled. Well, she wasn't exactly in his arms. He simply pulled her closer and let her lay her head against his upper shoulder.

She desperately squirmed against him to get out of his hold, but his grip on her was firm.

"...I'm sorry," he said finally. Stella stopped but only for a moment. "Sorry for what?! You were being you. Let me go!" she said angrily.

He rolled his eyes at her futile attempts. "Stella, unless I let go, you're not going out of here. So you might as well stop wasting your energy. Try squirming again and I'll be forced to grab you even tighter. Your wish, princess."

...

Stella simply glared up at him. "Fine, whatever."

"Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," he started again.

"Yeah well, you did a great job of showing that. Are you done now? Let me go!" she spat. She hit his arms with her fists. He winced slightly, but chose to let her do whatever she wanted. He deserved that actually. After a few moments, he grabbed her by the waist with one arm and her arms with another. "No, let go!" she cried.

"I told you what I'd do if you moved again," he said dangerously in her ear making her gulp slightly. She fell silent and closed her eyes trying to mask her tears.

She's not happy here. It's the opposite. If one day was fine, the next would be unbearable. She wanted to leave. She felt miserable and staying here made her feel like trash. "...Please let me go. I promise you I'll leave. I'll never...I'll never show my face again," she said weakly. She sniffled. "Please let me go," she repeated again with a small cry.

Her cries sent pangs through his hardened heart. Something inside of him started to stir. _Hurt._ It's something he didn't feel for a long time. During the last few years, his heart had numbed. But now...hearing Stella cry made his heart cringe. _No._ He can't let her leave. Her parents entrusted their most precious treasure to him during their last final moments. But...he didn't want to do this just for them. He genuinely wanted to take care of her.

He loosened his grip slightly. "Stell...please. I'm so sorry I hurt you earlier. Please forgive me, princess," he softly said. Stella grew slack in his hold. His voice...it was so calm and so gentle...why can't he be like this all the time? They'd get along much smoothly. And the way he called her a _princess_ didn't escape her notice either.

"Why? You'll just yell at me again later. We'll be fine one moment and be at each other's throats the next. I don't want this kind of relationship, okay?" she cried between small sniffles.

"I'm sorry. I swear to you...I'll never hurt you again. Please...just give me another chance?" he asked.

"...why were you so angry earlier?" she asked in return.

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Just know that...I wasn't mad at you, okay?"

She nodded. She drew her knees upto her chest. She lightly rocked herself and simply looked at him.

"What?" he asked slightly puzzled. She smiled, "You have a split personality disorder."

He chuckled. "So I'm guessing we're good now?"

"For now," she shrugged.

 _Good._

He released her and stood up from the bed. "Well, now that's done with, come on."

"What? Where?"

Smiling a little, he took her hand and pulled her out of the bed gently. Stella threw the covers aside and followed him. As soon as she opened the bedroom door, a spicy scent of aroma filled her nostrils. _Pasta..._ her favorite dish. Her stomach growled and she blushed in embarrassment as he laughed. She didn't realize that she was _this_ starving.

"You cooked?" she asked with a small smile as they walked to the dining room.

He shrugged. "I needed a backup in case you didn't accept the verbal apology."

Stella blankly stared at him. "Are you freaking kidding me right now?" He chuckled and shook his head. "No, not really. Oh and I'm starving too, so that's another reason."

 _Way to go back to being a jerk,_ Stella sourly thought. "You should try being a little nice every once in a blue moon, at least. For Pete's sake, I pity the girl who'll end up loving you."

He smirked, "Then you'll end up pitying yourself, princess."

Stella's eyes widened a little as she blushed.

"I'm just kidding, Stella," he chuckled. Stella fought off the furious blush on her face.

When they reached the table, Brandon went ahead and dramatically pulled out a chair with a small bow.

"Seriously?" Stella asked sarcastically as she sat down.

"It's just a one-time thing, so don't get too used to it," he smirked. He sat in a chair opposite to her. Stella picked up a fork and instantly dug into the plate of steaming tomato pasta. It was definitely one of her favorite quick-to-prepare dishes.

They silently ate. Nothing was audible except for the occasional clanks against the plate by the forks. Stella found the silence to be slightly uncomfortable. Unable to dismiss her curiosity, she spoke up.

"...can I ask you something?"

He didn't look up. "If it's regarding this evening, then no. You _can't."_ She watched as he picked up a glass of water and drank.

"But why? I mean...if you're going to act like this every time we go there, we'll have problems." She crossed her arms and looked at him with an edge. If he reverts back to unbearable angry moods every time they go to his parents' house, she'll lose it. Plus, an angry Brandon was incredibly scary. She remembered how the chilling glare he threw at her earlier frightened her. She somehow knew that he won't hurt her physically, but...emotional imbalance is just as upsetting anyway.

He paused eating after hearing what she said. He stood up a second later and walked to her seat. "Stand up," he said softly without giving her a chance to speak.

Stella slowly stood up and took a step back to give them each a respectful distance between. He suddenly grasped her arm. The same arm that he latched onto earlier at his parents' house.

"Did I hurt you earlier?" he asked while observing her arm. Stella shook her head. "No...but...what am I supposed to do if this repeats again-!"

"I'm sorry. That's all I can give you right now. And I don't hate you. I know I'm probably making you feel that way, but it isn't true. You're important to me, Stella. And you always will be. I'm sorry I made you feel otherwise," he said while releasing her arm. He turned on his heel and left the room taking his plate, leaving Stella with her jaw dropping to the floor.

 _You're important to me...and you always will be..._

 _Am I really?_ Stella wondered to herself as she watched his retreating back. She, however, couldn't help the small smile that came onto her face.

* * *

 **NOTE 2: Okay, I wrote this whole thing in like 2 hours flat, so there _will be_ some diction/punctuation/grammar errors. Feel free to comment and let me know. I'll correct them as soon as I can and make the writing a little easier to read :D**

 **Once again:**

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018! :D**


	10. Letting Go

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **First of all...**_

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!**

 **MAY THIS YEAR BRING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TONS OF HAPPINESS :)**

 _ **Second of all...**_

 _ **Thank you so much for the kind reviews! :D They made my day! I got 20 new reviews after I updated recently! Thank you! I hope I can answer ALL of your questions in this chapter. If not, you know what to do ;) Ask away again :)**_

 _ **Third of all...**_

 _ **Okay, if you guys have been following my latest updates, then you'll know that I published a new story yesterday called "Mistaken Identity". And you'll also know that I deleted it. There are three reasons for that:**_

 ** _1\. I didn't like the way I wrote it especially compared to my other fics. I didn't feel that good about it and I don't think many people enjoyed it either._**

 ** _2\. I didn't have a concrete plot going for it. Normally, I try to at least roughly think what the next part is going to be so I don't write random chapters. But I didn't have time to do that for this one. I just had an idea and I wrote it._**

 ** _3\. This is the most ridiculous reason of all. I received 4 reviews in total. One of the reviews was from a guest reviewer. He/she accused me of stealing their idea of a story from private messaging. I'm really hurt by that because I only discuss about story plots with ONE author and she's from another FanFiction cartoon. It was ridiculous because I certainly didn't get that idea from anywhere except brainstorming. I definitely don't expect sunshine reviews. I want constructive animadversions, but hearing outright baseless accusations is ridiculous. _**

**_Now that story is deleted, but to all of the kind, kind reviewers who have been soooooooooooooooooooooo sweet and loyal, I'll come back with a better one :)_**

 ** _And_**

 ** _Fourth of all..._**

 ** _I hope you enjoy this chapter :)_**

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - 8:00 AM ~**

Stella sleepily yawned as she stepped out into the living room. She rubbed her eyes lazily when she suddenly stumbled over her footing. Regaining her balance, she walked over to the couches and wasn't surprised to see Brandon already showered. Bless the daily manners of this boy.

"Good morning, princess," he enthusiastically greeted her.

Stella looked at him weirdly. "Um good morning, prince." He chuckled. "Breakfast?"

"...Are you high?" she asked him dumbly. This sudden generosity of his is so out of place on him. Especially when he literally dragged her around like a ragged doll and threw her in his car just yesterday evening.

"I don't want you think that I'm a tyrant or anything. I used to be like this..." he trailed off at the end with a small frown that _did not_ escape Stella's notice. _Used to be?_ Why not now? She'd appreciate it if he can stop sending cryptographic messages her way. Shrugging it off, Stella lay down on the couch again and closed her eyes.

"If you're so sleepy, why bother waking up?" he snickered with a smirk. _Maybe she spoke too soon._ Modesty just wasn't in his blood. The 'I'm a good boy' face was gone and "I'm a total time arrogant airhead" face took its place.

"I don't know...I was up thinking last night, I guess?" Stella answered as she faced the ceiling. She placed an arm underneath her head and a hand on her waist, the fingers tapping slightly against it.

"About?" he pressed.

"Princeton," Stella answered. His lips parted into a small 'oh' as understanding dawned in his eyes. He sort of understood why she felt apprehensive. But to be honest, he genuinely thought that college will be good to her. It's a way to forget _all_ of this and maybe just... _move on._ Life is too short to stop at one point. There's still so much to explore. So many unknown places to travel. _So much of life she has yet to experience...so many memories to create..._

And he wanted to help her. He's through with seeing Stella so upset at the mention of every trivial thing. Change will be good for her. He'll make it so.

"There's nothing to think about, you know. How long are you going to stay like this?" he prodded. "The only way to move on...is _really_ move on."

Stella turned to him as he finished. Sometimes...he acted like he genuinely cared. While other times he could really be a dipshit.

"You're probably right," she murmured wistfully. Raising herself, she stood up and lightly stretched. "Well, if that's the case, I need to book myself a ticket to LA. Can I use your laptop?"

"Already booked. We have a flight in four hours. Get ready," he smirked as he picked up today's newspaper from the small table in front of him.

"EXCUSE ME?!" Stella screamed half out of shock and half out of...of whatever.

"What part of 'we have a flight in four hours' didn't you understand? Go inside and get ready," he calmly spoke as he turned a page. Stella's eyes flashed with shock once more. Frustrated at his nonchalant attitude, she snatched the newspaper from his hands.

"Why would you book for me without my knowledge?!" she half-yelled as she rolled up the newspaper and began to hit him.

"Ow! Hey!" he glared as he dodged her hits. "This is what I get for being a nice, normal guy?! Stell-!"

"This isn't called being nice! This is called going too far!" she growled as she hit him with the crumpled newspaper wherever she could.

"Stella, I would stop if I were you," his lips slowly formed into his traditional smirk. _God, that smirk._ She wanted to slap it right off his face.

"NO. You're going to cancel MY ticket. And I'll pay for myself, _thank you VERY much!_ "

"I don't take money from a girl, thank you," he replied as he stood up. He grasped her flailing arms and grabbed her to him. Her face flushed at the proximity. He searched her eyes for a moment and all he could see was anger mixed with shock. Her hair was wild, but her face was still radiant despite waking up just a few minutes ago. Her face was makeup-free, unlike many girls he knew. Who can find a girl these days without a paint of makeup on her face? **_(NOTE: This is definitely not meant to offend ANYONE. Makeup is a woman's personal choice. I prefer to roam literally makeup free. So that's my take on it, so please don't be offended.)_**

Stella was definitely beautiful, he'll give her that. "If I spent on you, it means that it was my choice. _Get over it,"_ he said.

"It's my choice whether to accept the money or not, okay?! Sheesh!"

His eyes found themselves being suddenly attracted to her piercing light brown ones. He instantly looked away and pushed her away slightly. What the hell? he thought to himself. What was happening to him? He felt an attraction every time they got close to each other. "Just get dressed and eat something. It'll be a long flight," he incoherently mumbled. He let her go and turned on his heel, leaving Stella confused.

As he walked away, his features were flawed by a frown. Why was he unable to speak just a few moments ago? He felt as if...as if...he wanted to gaze into her eyes forever. They were a smoldering dark honey...ones that he easily got drowned in. "Stella needs to get out of here," he whispered to himself. He didn't understand nor did he like the mixed feelings he felt at the moment. He promised himself that he would never be attracted to another woman again. He made a mistake of that once and paid the price painfully.

"Brandon?"

He stopped in his tracks when he heard her soft voice. Unable to resist, he turned around to face her. She looked worried. "Are you okay?" she asked. He suppressed the urge to smile. Stella...always so worried about people even if they're mean to her. "I'm fine," he genuinely smiled. She seemed taken aback by his smile. He was surprised too at how natural that felt. A moment later, she nodded before heading back to her room. He followed her retreating figure with his eyes. Her long hair bounced behind her as she left.

What the hell is happening to me? He sighed as he turned around. He frowned. Again. No, he can't be attracted to this girl. She's nothing but a complete airhead. Most of all, a total misfit. Right?

No...she isn't, his subconscious answered for him. You know that.

"Stop that!" he whispered imagining a subconscious devil sitting on his shoulder.

But you know it's true. You're attracted to your wife.

"Wife? She's not my wife!" he berated stubbornly. "Great. Now I'm talking to myself."

Wife...Stella is legally his...wife. He chose to ignore it instead of acknowledging it. They both made the choice together. Pretend their so-called forced marriage was nonexistent. It was easier to deal with. Just pretend that your problems didn't exist in the first place. But the truth remained. Stella Solaria didn't exist anymore. Stella Solaria became Stella Shields from the moment they kissed.

The kiss...Brandon touched his lips unconsciously. He won't ever admit this to anyone, especially her, but there were no words to describe how awestruck he was when she glided down the aisle in her wedding dress. He found it hard to admit that even to himself. She was beyond gorgeous. But the only he didn't end up smiling because there was an invisible frown embedded into her face. It was only visible to him. Of course she's not happy here. Why was he desperate to get Stella to stay here? They barely talked in the last few months except for a few therapy one-sentence sessions. So why was he so bothered? So displeased at the news of her departure? That's the reason he's going to LA himself. To make sure that she gets her butt back here again. Getting his things was just an excuse. An excuse that somehow so conveniently worked out. He sighed.

This was gonna be a long flight...

* * *

 **~ John F. Kennedy Airport - 12:30 PM ~**

Stella's knees shook as the plane got on the runway. She shut her eyes tightly as she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"Uh, you okay?"

She opened her eyes to see Brandon weirdly staring at her. "Um. I don't like the taking off and landing sequences. They make me queasy." She frowned when the plane picked up speed.

"Stella, relax. It's going to be fine," he smirked.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who feels like puking!" she retorted.

He raised his hands in surrender. "I was trying to help. No need to get all testy," he smirked. Ignoring him, she closed her eyes tightly. This was another reason she hated travelling by air. She felt airsick even though she was careful to not eat anything since morning.

 _Is this the only reason I feel sick?_ Stella frowned.

 _No. It isn't._

She didn't even know why she's going back. Getting her clothes and other was just an excuse. With the amount spent for this flight ticket, she can buy a whole new wardrobe.

But...she wanted to go back just once more. To pay her final respects to her late parents. This was the first time she's going home where she'll be greeted by a cold, desolate home. It wasn't even a home anymore. It's just a...shelter. That's all. After today, she'll probably never set foot in that house again. Her wounds started to open up slowly closely. The walls she had built over the past two months carefully and slowly started to crumble. Her face turned into a frown.

 _Time to face the music..._

 **~ Stella's House, Los Angeles, California - Local Time - 5:00 PM ~**

Stella's eyes glistened as she fumbled with her keys. She tried to insert the keys into the lock, but they didn't fit. Her vision grew blurry as she forcefully tried to insert it in. "Why isn't this working?!" she nearly cried out of frustration.

Brandon's eyes softened. "Here. Let me," he placed a hand on top of hers.

"No. I got this. I can open a lock!" she pushed him away as she tried to open the front door. She rubbed her eyes when her vision faded. _No._ She promised herself that she wouldn't cry.

"Stella, stop," Brandon said firmly. He grabbed her arm. "Let me go!" she snapped as she pushed him away.

"Stella, let me open the door," his gentle voice pressed on. She shook her head as tears streamed down her face. "No, I can do it," her voice grew muffled as a lump grew in her throat. He held her arm again and tugged her towards him. He snatched the keys from her and quickly opened the door with one click.

"I told you I had it!" she said angrily with teary eyes.

He pushed her inside and locked the door behind him. "Did you? Because we've been stuck there since the past ten minutes," he snapped.

He regretted his tone immediately when she looked as if she's just been slapped. He took a step forward to apologize when she spoke. "Why are you mean to me?" her voice cracked. Tears continued to flow down her face. "Please just take your stuff and leave. I...I don't think I can come with you this time," she told him with a broken voice as she turned around. He sighed, ashamed of himself. He just hurt her again. And in the worst way possible. She wasn't done mourning and he snapped at her. Just thinking about how hurt her voice sounded...it made him feel like an all time low.

His jaw slightly clenched as she slowly walked away dully as if the life force of her body has been sucked right out of her. He needed to fix this. He was hurt by one woman before but why show his anger on everyone? Stella was not from his past. She's, in a forced way, his present and his future. She's his wife. Now, this may not be a mutual feeling but he did take a vow. While he can't promise to love her, he can protect her. _Not only physically, but also from an emotional imbalance._

With four quick strides, he reached her. Stella's eyes widened as let out an audible gasp when she felt an arm around her shoulders and her midsection from behind. "I'm so sorry," he apologized with honesty and sincerity in his tone. "Why? So you can feel better? You'll just snap at me again," she cried. "What have I done to you that you're treating me like this?" her voice broke. He pulled her to his chest tightly. "Nothing, princess. Nothing. I'm taking my anger out on the wrong person. I'm the one behaving like a rotten jerk." Stella sniffled and stayed silent.

"I'll change. I swear I'll...never make you cry this way again. I want this to work, Stell. I want _us_ to work," he said sincerely not knowing where the sudden love was coming from. He didn't care about his past anymore.

"We keep fighting, Brandon. There's no way to make anything work," she cried as he embraced her tightly from behind.

"Can you forget everything that has happened till now?" he asked. She stayed silent. She wanted to. She so badly wanted to forget this nightmare. But how can she...? She lost her home and her whole world in the blink of an eye. She sadly shook her head 'no'. This pain will always be a devastating part of her.

"...that's the same case with me. I'd rather not talk about it, but I've lost something that was a part of me. I can't forget about it and this is why I took it out on you." He continued, "That doesn't mean it's right. I'm not justifying myself nor am I right in berating you every day. I'm so sorry, Stell but...can _we_ start over?"

She didn't say anything. Instead she simply reached up and held his arm which was wrapped around her shoulders from behind, giving him the answer he needed.

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home - 7:00 PM ~**

"For someone who wanted us to start over, you sure go back on your own ways," Stella muttered as she flipped chicken patties on the stove. He smirked as he silently ate the food she prepared. He took a few more from her plate making her slap his arm.

"Brandon, I haven't eaten yet, you know! You're such a pig!" she yelled making him laugh.

"Stella, men need a lot of stamina, you know. We work every single day."

She rolled her eyes. "Really? For the past two months, I haven't seen you go out of your room."

"That's because I didn't want you to cry alone," he murmured. The smile from her face instantly disappeared and a frown came.

"You didn't go anywhere because of me?" she asked as she stopped and turned to him. He nodded silently as he went back to eating. Stella looked at him in slight awe. Her frown slowly dissipated. She knew she should be feeling guilty, but somehow...she felt warm and fuzzy inside. She never really thanked him for letting her stay during those months. She didn't think she had it in her to come back here. Without another word, she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened slightly and relaxed a few seconds later.

"Thank you," she smiled against his buttoned shirt.

He'd hug her back but his hands are a bit full with his plate and a bottle of ketchup. "You're welcome. Now let go already. Those patties are about to ashen and I don't like burnt food."

She giggled and let him go. "So what's the plan for tomorrow?"

He thought for a moment. "We'll go to New Jersey. I think it's probably good if you got comfortable with the city before you start college."

She sighed. "Do we have to go? I think I'm getting a migraine from the travels." Stella rubbed her head and also her stomach. She felt sick, still not recovering from the flight's turbulence earlier. She suddenly lost her appetite even though the food looked scrumptious.

"Are you done yet?!" She asked annoyed at his eating habits.

"Give me the ones on the stove and I'll leave you alone after that."

She shook her head in bewilderment. "How are you not fat?!"

Brandon looked up and smirked. "It's called exercise and working out. You should try it once."

Stella blushed as he gestured to her figure. "No, I don't gain weight. I'm good, thanks."

He smirked. "You're right..." He set his plate aside and stood behind her, making her breath slightly hitch. She stopped when he wrapped a ghostly arm around her waist, touching yet not touching her. "Even though you are a pig once in a while, you sure do have a sexy figure," he spoke, his lips slightly brushing against her cheek.

Stella gasped, but she was soon blushing like a red tomato. She elbowed him and he laughed as he picked up his plate again. "Stop that!" she stammered as she continued blushing. He found her blush suddenly endearing, but she didn't have to know that.

"Stop what, princess? Are you mad that I called you a pig or that I called you sexy?" he smirked when she started blushing crimson again. "C-c-cut it out!" she stammered again as she looked everywhere else but him. His eyes, however, were glued to her face. It was astonishing how beautiful she was when she's truly happy. And to know that he just made a tiny bit happier made him feel as if he just achieved one of the greatest things in life. Maybe...he can finally let go. He can leave the very thing that has plagued his sleep for the past two years.

Maybe...with due time, he can accept another woman into his heart again.

He didn't bother hiding a fond smile as she started talking about something. He chose to just listen. Tonight...while it might be trivial to her, it will be one of the best nights in his life. Because to her, it was just another night. To him, it was more than 'another night'. It was the first step in forgetting his own heartbreak a few years ago. It was the first step in letting go. It was the first step in finally accepting the reality. His past...was no longer his present.

Because tonight...

 _He can finally let go._

* * *

 ** _Oh my gosh. Okay, I had difficulties in writing this chapter mainly because I have a feevvveeeerrrr **sing-song voice**_**

 ** _That's what I get for dancing in the snow since Christmas xD_**

 ** _Anyways...I hope you liked it._**

 ** _I'll probably update another one next. Either "Maiden Belle" or "Destined To Meet". Once again, thank you in advance for the reviews (if I get any :P)!_**


	11. Packing Up and Roadside Trip

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **I'll be updating all of my stories soon. Happy New Year 2018 once again! I've had a fever for the past week, so I was literally MIA. But, I'm back now! I still feel a little weak, so this chapter should be updated by 5th of Jan. If it's later than that, well...let's just say I tried my best!**

 **Thank you :) Hope you enjoy :)**

 **P.S. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE *hugs all of you***

* * *

 **~ Stella's Home, CA - 10:30 PM ~**

 **Stella's POV:**

Two days.

It's been two complete days since Brandon and I have landed in my old house. Old house? Ha, I must've really gotten used to living in Brandon's house. But seriously...I have to say, as shocking as it might seem, having Brandon around helped. I'm surprised I still have a little bit of my sanity left.

Since I got here, I've been taking care of this house. Who knows when I'll be back again? I had to take care of the light bills, water bills, etc. Also, I had to settle some bank accounts and etc. It was really hard, but...I guess life does go on. It's just...I wish I didn't have to find that out in a hard way.

"Hey."

I looked up and smiled up at him. He brought two cups of steaming coffee and handed me one. I slid over to give him enough space to sit down. He flopped down beside me and we both just sat there sipping coffees.

Brandon initially thought I would cry endlessly if I came here. Frankly, so did I. I literally thought I would be a puddle of tears by the time I'm done with this place. But...ever since the conversation that Brandon and I had, I haven't shed a single tear. I thought this place would undo me, but instead...it just made me love my parents even more. Yes, it's still sad and gloomy but I don't have a choice, right? No matter how much I let out heart-wrenching cries, I'll never get them back. These aren't my words. Brandon told me that day before yesterday.

I turned to him when he nudged me. "Hmm?"

"You okay?" he asked.

"No. But I will be," I lightly smiled. "When shall we leave?"

"...it's up to you," he answered.

"Tomorrow?" I offered. He nodded. He's probably doing that for my sake. I still don't know why he's hanging around here. I mean, this guy is a Ph.D. scholar. He definitely has better things to do than hang out with a girl who's lost a lot. I'm not pitying myself or anything like that, but...it is true. I was always a recluse. I chose to hang out with my parents in every gathering and even in parties. So that's why their death has affected me so much. I was not only close with them, but they're all I had. With my touch-me-not personality that I somehow represented, none of my extended family members are close to me. In a way, it was my fault.

I somehow finished drinking my late night coffee with my never-ending thoughts. With a small shake of my head, I set it down.

But seriously.

The only family I have right now is...

I instinctively turned to the brunette sitting beside me.

Brandon.

He's really all I have left, isn't he? I turned my attention to the uncut diamond ring sitting on my finger. This is the first time I really truly looked at it. Every time I even remotely glance in this direction, I instantly broke down. I breathed as I held my right hand and caressed the white metal. The ring was truly beautiful. But it's not mine. Not will it ever be. I'm not binded to this ring. I turned to him and was surprised to see the ring still sitting on his finger. He hasn't taken it off either.

"You didn't take it off," I blurted. I covered my mouth and nearly slapped myself for not filtering my words.

He turned to me and stared at me weirdly for a second. (He was probably wondering what the hell I wanted him to take off.) But he, then, noticed my line of sight and smirked. "For the record, so haven't you."

I uncovered my face and shook my head. "Isn't it weird?" I asked him.

He thought for a moment. He set his mug down and turned to face me fully. "Why?"

I blinked. "Well...isn't it obvious?"

"No, please. I'm the dumbest guy ever, so please enlighten me," he smirked. I glared at the sarcasm practically dripping from his voice. I wonder if using a little bit of modesty would kill this guy.

I waved my arms in front of his face to help emphasize my point. "We don't love each other. So...isn't it weird?"

"There are still many countries in this world where arranged marriages exist. Even here. In our country. Rich folks get their daughters married off to someone else's sons just for the sake of business and profits. Marriage isn't about love anymore. It's politics."

"...you think that about us?" I breathed. If he said yes, I would be on the verge of waterworks. Okay, not literally, because then that would be pathetic. Anyways. But seriously. I would be hurt if he said yes. (And I don't know why.)

He smirked. "Which answer would you like?"

I instantly turned red.

"Awwww, how cute. You're blushing. Would you feel better if I answered 'no'?"

"S-stop," I stammered like an idiot. "Why would I care what you think?"

"Then, why bother asking what I feel?" he asked smugly.

Because I'm a sentimental fool, that's why. I could say that but he'll never let me hear the end of it. "Can't a girl be curious every once in a while?" I muttered.

He chuckled at my response. "Well, I'm going off to bed. Good night," he said suddenly as he stood up. He took the mugs on his way out, leaving me still blushing.

And then I realized as I watched him leave.

 _He never gave me an answer to my question._

...

* * *

 **~ Two days later ~**

 **~ 11:30 PM ~**

"So why the hell are we here again?!" he asked, or more like _yelled_ as he slammed the car door shut.

I nearly growled. "Dude, you're the one who wanted to drive! Not me! I _refuse_ , I repeat, _I absolutely refuse_ to sleep in a car!"

"I probably should've thrown your sorry ass in the plane," he growled while grabbing one of each of our suitcases before following me inside. I laughed at his annoyance because as agitated as he might seem, it was kind of amusing.

So wondering what we're debating on right now? Well, we're currently somewhere in Nevada, I think. I don't know. Frankly, I really don't care but uh...whatever.

I put up covers over the furniture of my old house so it doesn't get all stuffy and dusty. I made sure that I won't billed each month so, I asked the power supply station to turn off the power at my house until further notice. I took care of all the bills, all the credit card statements, etc. But the day Brandon and I wanted to leave...that's when we realized that we still had a lot to do.

My car and my parents' car were still there. And I didn't know what to do with them. I asked Musa and Layla to take care of my parents' car. I couldn't bear to part with it nor could I sell it. So I just gave it away. Musa agreed to have it, saying that her parents needed it. I'm fine with that, so it's okay with me.

And I was about to debate on handing over my car to Layla temporarily until Brandon popped up and spontaneously decided that we'll be going on a freaking road trip.

That's right, folks. So that's where we are at the moment.

In the middle of nowhere and with nothing but a GPS to guide us. Poor guy has been driving for the past twelve hours and I still don't understand how he has the energy to keep that zeal up! Well, I'm fine with that. But what I have a problem with is sleeping in a damn car.

Now, I could stretch my seat all the way to the back into a makeshift bed, but the cops are gonna be sending me and the driver a hefty bill later.

So I practically yelled in Brandon's ear to stop and pull over at the nearest exit unless he wanted me to yell out into the windows that I'm being kidnapped. He thought I was bluffing and simply smirked. When I rolled out the windows and stuck my head, he panicked and took a right at the nearest exit. It worked. I was bluffing but hey, he didn't have to know that.

I stifled a laugh as we made ourselves into the hotel lobby and the elevator. He was struggling not to lose it. He seemed angry. Like really angry. But...this time, it didn't scare me. This time, I felt a sense of warmth.

After that night we landed in LA, after that whole conversation, he seemed to suddenly change. We began bickering similarily like the times we did back when he first moved into my house. Ah...good old times. And it had been refreshing.

It had been refreshing and blitheful to debate and bicker rather than me sitting idly in a corner sulking.

The elevator let out a 'ding' as it stopped on our floor. We walked to our assigned room. Brandon took out the key card and swiped the lock before swinging the door open. I can tell he wanted to give me an earful right now and he was controlling himself not to strangle me in front of everyone.

He brought inside our suitcases. Well, since we'll only be staying one day, we only brought one suitcase upstairs. But I think there are at least a gazillion of my suitcases in the car. Eh. I don't know when I'll be going back to LA again, so I just brought all of my stuff back with me. Especially my clothes, my books, and anything academically related to me.

"You...! How dare you do that?!" he randomly yelled out of nowhere once he set the bags down in a corner. I suppressed the urge to giggle because I'll be strangled for sure.

I sat down on the bed. We booked one suite room with a small room with two king-sized beds and another room that resembled a living room. Well, actually...he did that. I wonder where the generosity came from. We'll only be here for one night. But then again, Brandon was rich so I guess he can spend as lavishly as he wanted.

 **NO ONE'S POV:**

She kicked off her shoes and put them to the side. She flopped down on the bed and fell backwards with a dreamy sigh. "I wanted a bed!" she whined as she closed her eyes. "Excuse me?" he asked her baffled at her reaction. "You nearly got me jailed a few minutes ago!"

She giggled. Was he really still on that? Stella stood up and took a few steps towards him. "Did you really believe that? For a smart man, you sure aren't very smart." His eyes widened before his lips turned into a small smirk.

"Sunshine, it would be wise if you stayed away from the level of my intelligence," he spoke in a dangerous tone that made her take a step back. Stella let out a yelp as she dodged when he made a grab for her. She giggled as she jumped on the bed while he laughed a little trying to catch her. In a few moments, they were laughing with Stella running away and Brandon trying to catch her. Stella jumped on one of the beds and snickered. "You can't catch me now," she said while referring to the shoes he still wore while she was wearing only socks.

"As if a pair of shoes can stop me," Brandon smirked before raised his foot to step on the bed. Stella squealed as she moved to jump off from the pristine white covers before she felt two arms wound tightly around her. She let out an 'oof' as she fell back on the mattress along with him.

"Got you," he smiled from behind her as he held her gently against him.

"Yeah, yeah. You're so dirty! How can you step on a beautiful bed with dirty shoes? Ew," Stella squirmed.

He chuckled. "I can't have you insult me and then run away."

Stella yawned. "See? We wouldn't have had this much fun in a car."

"No. Definitely not," he admitted with an edge to his tone still pissed about earlier. Stella laughed at his tone. He's a little cute when he's grumpy.

"C'mon. Let's hit the hay," he spoke as he let her go before going to his suitcase.

Stella sat up and watched him unzip his bag before taking out his night clothes. "For the record, I call dibs on the other bed," she said.

He chuckled before moving towards the bathroom. "You have two minutes. Change quickly or you'll regret it."

Stella blushed a beet red before rushing over to her suitcase. She took out a set of white pajamas with teddy bears on them. Yes, she still wore pajamas with teddy bears on them.

Brandon emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later with sweats and a sweatshirt on. "You know, Stella, you should really consider yourself lucky," he spoke on his way out.

"Why?" she semi-yelled

"Wait. Are you decent?" he said suddenly closing his eyes before going to the bedroom.

"Yes!" she yelled from inside.

He made his way inside before resting his eyes on her. He smirked at her choice of outfit. "Teddy bears? Really? What are you? Five?"

She stuck out her tongue at him.

"Really mature, princess. Real mature," he chuckled as he tossed his day clothes aside while going to his bed. He shook his head when he realized that she, indeed, switched over the other clean bed. Please, it's not like he stepped all over the bed with muddy shoes. It was just on a dangling edge. Jeez.

Brandon hopped onto his bed and pulled up the covers to his chest.

"You didn't tell why I'm lucky, by the way," she said while pulling up covers similarily.

He closed his eyes and smirked. "I'm doing you a favor from blushing too much since I normally go around shirtless in my house."

Stella's eyes widened as she blushed.

"See? You're blushing now too, aren't you?" he smirked not really needing to look at her.

"Shut up! No I'm not!"

"Yes, you are," he smirked.

"Good night!" she hollered, effectively cutting off the conversation from going into any more awkward ends. She growled a little when she heard a roar of laughter. Stupid! Jerk!

Shaking his head in amusement, he moved over and turned off the lights.

"Good night, princess," he said, but it came out lowly. He was glad to be sleeping in a warm bed underneath comfy covers. Stella smiled as she turned to sleep. She yawned sleepily before her eyes dozed off into a slumber.

Little did she know that this night might not be as beautiful as it started out to be.

* * *

 **Okay. I've _had_ it.**

 **I've had it with Stella consumed by her grief. So I hope I wasn't too fast? I mean I wanted something light-hearted but also something reflected her personality.**

 **So, do drop in a comment/review/anything. Thank you :)**


	12. Night at a Hotel

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **NOTE: Hey, guys! So, first of all, THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL REVIEWS. I** _ **NEVER**_ **expected such love for this fic! Frankly, I expected like 1 review every 2 chapters, but this is mindblowing. Seriously :)**

 **And second, I'll** _ **finish**_ **Shattered Heart** _ **first**_ **and put all of my other stories on hold temporarily. Every time I update other fics, I get plenty of requests to update this specific one, so there you go.**

 **I hope I made all of you a little happier XD**

 **Oh wait.**

 **One more thing: I received a private message about the latest chapter. It's not anything big, but I just wanted to point this out. I updated the chapter like 2-3 days ago but I started receiving reviews today. If you're unable to read it because you thought I still haven't updated, you can** _ **follow**_ **this story which will send you an email right away whenever I update.**

 **Thank you!**

* * *

 _Stella ran. The only thing she felt at the moment was terror. Terror inside of her heart creeping its way in. She didn't know why she felt as if something is about to go horribly wrong._

 _"No..." she panted as she continued running down the seemingly endless hallway._

 _"WHERE ARE THEY?!" she yelled at two people who were unlucky enough to get in the way. They seemed a little shaken at a random stranger's outburst being so conveniently directed at him._

 _"WHERE ARE THEY?!" she yelled loudly as tears streamed down her face._

 _"They're dead..." an eerie voice whispered to her from behind. Stella turned around and gasped when she saw Brandon smirking down at her. "They're dead. You killed them. Don't you remember?" he asked mockingly._

 _"No! That's not true!" Stella yelled as she punched his chest. He continued smirking unfazed by her outburst._

 _"Yes, you did," he smirked. "Who knows? Maybe you caused the accident yourselves...YOU KILLED THEM."_

 _"No, stop!" Stella covered her ears as more tears streamed down her pale face._

 _He grabbed her arms forcefully and turned her chin to look at him. "Yes, you did. You caused their accident. Now, they're dead...all because of you," he smirked._

 _"No!" Stella pushed him away and turned around running. But no matter how far she ran, she heard his voice echoing throughout the halls in a ghostly whisper._

 _"No, stop!" Stella screamed in terror as her throat went dry._

* * *

 **~ 1:00 AM ~**

Stella sat up with a jolt. A gasp emitted from her throat as her brain went wild with fright and confusion. She panted as she felt her eyes cloud. She clutched her heart as fear seized her body. The air felt suddenly cold and frigid as she struggled not to cry. _It's just a nightmare, Stel. Just a nightmare,_ she reassured herself.

She jumped a little when she felt a rush of cold air kiss her skin. _It's just the air conditioner. Nothing more. Just the AC._

Stella panted. What kind of a nightmare is that? She struggled to get her breathing even. She turned to her right to see Brandon peacefully sleeping. Thank goodness. It's surprising that he's still sleeping considering that he's a light sleeper. He must've been equally exhausted from the extensive non-stop driving.

She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand between their beds. It eerily blinked with red digits... _1:03 AM..._

She slowly lay back down before trying her best to fall asleep again.

And she did.

 _But not before she fell asleep with a small frown marring her features._

 _0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000_

 _"Stellaaaaaa..." a voice rang out. Stella opened her eyes to see none other than...Heather?_

 _"Heather, what are you doing here?"_

 _"You evil witch! You ruined my son's life! I hate you!"_

 _"What?!" Stella said in shock as she took a step back startled._

 _"You're nothing but a spoilt brat! You ruined my son's life!"_

 _"No! You two forced us to get marr-"_

 _Stella emitted a pained cry when she felt someone grab her hair from behind. Tears stung her eyes as sharp pain emitted through her skull. She turned to see Brandon glaring down at her with malice in his eyes. "You BITCH," he whispered as he let her go with a sharp tug that sent her colliding against the floor._

 _Tears flowed down Stella's cheeks as she tried to ignore the hurt and pain she felt right now. She crawled back slightly as Brandon's powerful form hovered over. He took a step each second. "You ruined my life. I was supposed to marry the girl I love, but instead I get a night troll like you!" he yelled as his deep voice boomed off the walls._

 _"Brandon-"_

 _"DON'T!" he snapped. "You don't have the right to say my name! You little...!"_

 _Stella's vision blurred as tears furiously streamed down her cheeks._

* * *

 **~ 2:15 PM ~**

Stella woke up with a sharp gasp. Tears formed in her eyes. _Another nightmare._

Why was she being plagued by nightmares tonight? She frantically looked around before her eyes once again rested on the male brunette. Her eyes darted to the clock. It has just been one hour since she fell into another disturbed asleep.

Her heart raced rapidly as beads of sweat trickled from the sides of her head. Her breathing only picked up as she slowly started to hyperventilate.

Stella, without another thought, threw off the covers from her body before stepping down onto the soft carpet. She tiptoed to Brandon's bed.

Her eyes watered as she looked at him sleeping. He really was supposed to marry the girl he loved. The conversation in her dream or, rather, _nightmare,_ was exactly what should've happened. What happened in real life was a blessing compared to that.

She sat at the edge of his bed softly. Reaching over, Stella poked him lightly in the shoulder. He twitched slightly but made no other move.

She reached over again and poked him. "...Brandon?" Stella kept poking with watery eyes. His eyes slowly snapped awake before he let out a sleepy mumble. "W-what?"

Suddenly, he blinked a few times before snapping his eyes fully. "Stella?"

He sat up on his elbow before glancing at the clock puzzled. Um...what is she doing up at this time? He turned back to her to see her upset and crying.

His eyes instantly glazed over with concern. "Stel? Hey, what's wrong?" he sat up before moving closer to her.

She sniffled. "...um...c-can I sleep b-beside you?" she asked shyly while averting her eyes. His eyes widened. She must've had a bad dream. What else could keep her awake and ask her to sleep beside him?

He nodded slowly before moving to give her some space. "Come on," he said gently as he opened the covers to let her in. Stella immediately seized the chance and hopped beside him.

He turned to her and faced her on his elbow. "What happened?"

"Do you regret what happened between us? Do you wish you could take it back?" she asked in a small voice as she started to cry.

He sighed now understanding her dilemma. "Yes, I do regret it. But there's nothing we can do anymore, okay? Stop worrying about stupid shit and go to sleep," he smirked.

She laughed between her tears.

"There. Now that you feel better, I should go back to my sleep," he smirked as he lay back down facing the ceiling.

He stiffened when he felt Stella move closer to him.

"Um...c-can you stay up with me for a while?" she asked softly. "Please?"

His heart melted at such a precious request. The way she asked him made him feel as if he's the only she trusted at the moment. He turned to her again. His breath hitched when he saw how close she was to him.

"Sure," he mumbled feeling a little disoriented at the dangerous proximity.

His lips formed into a small smile when he saw how eyes literally lit up like a Christmas tree. "Do you want me to turn the lights on?" he asked gently while keeping his eyes glued to her beautiful face.

"Can we?" she asked with a small voice.

He nodded as he sat up. She, too, sat up along with him as he switched on the lights. The dim darkness in the room instantly disappeared as a soft golden glow enveloped the room. He sat up against the headboard of his bed while she joined in the same pose beside him.

They were both silent but oddly, the hushed silence was comforting. Brandon, however, found himself unable to tear his gaze away from Stella. He didn't know why but she looked extraordinarily beautiful tonight. She was always beautiful, but...tonight...she just seemed to have a peaceful glow around. Ironic, isn't it? The girl who's had nightmares back to back in a single night glowed with beauty.

She seemed to have caught his gaze and turned to him. She blushed at the intense eyes that bore into hers. "Um...why are you staring at me like that?" she asked.

He smiled. "I'm thinking about how we met."

Her eyes widened. "Oh." A moment later, he saw her smile and draw her knees till her chest. "You were a jerk as usual," she giggled.

"And you were a downright klutz," he smirked.

She sighed exasperated. " One coffee spill is earning me way more taunts than necessary. Are you ever going to let that go?!"

"Never," he smirked. She pouted with a frown. He had to resist complimenting how adorable Stella seemed when she's pissed off. "What? You want me to forget how I met my wife?" he smirked.

She blushed. Probably at his reference of _'wife'._ She looked stumped for words for a few seconds. "Your life would probably be better if you hadn't met me," she sighed.

His face formed into a small frown as she started to drown in the past again. Unable to help himself, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, earning a surprised squeak from him. "Hey, no more dwelling in the past. Whatever happened...you can't change it back," he said.

Stella's eyes remained wide as she remained in his embrace. She blinked a few times before relaxing when his grip on her remained gentle, yet firm. She, too, wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head against his chest. He was surprised by the reciprocation although he chose not to complain.

"Thank you," she mumbled against his shirt.

"So...feel any better?" he murmured against her, feeling a little disoriented by the proximity of her presence. She nodded against his chest with a small smile on her face. She drew her knees till her chest and leaned further into him, feeling oddly comfortable and not in the little bit uneasy. It was really odd. She was freaked out when Jason moved an inch into her 'personal space', but she found herself invading Brandon's space.

Brandon secured his arm around her protectively while placing the other in his lap.

"We should both get some sleep," he said to her. He eyed the clock. "It's late, Stel."

She nodded but remained in the same stance. Neither of them moved. Stella, however, started to drift off. Warmth radiated from his body and served as a protective and fuzzy shelter for her. She didn't know if this whole comfortable touchy feeling is because of her emotional imbalance.

Frankly, she didn't care. Compared to the horrible nightmares she had, the reality was so much better. _Much more pleasant._ It started out as a nightmare, but now it was a summer breeze. Her eyes closed on their own.

Brandon patted her hair, which was slightly damp near her neck due to her waking up sweating. "Good night, princess," he whispered as he slowly watched her fall asleep involuntarily. She mumbled something incoherently before falling silent.

He watched her for a few moments with a fond smile grazing on his lips. Just a week ago, he literally acted like a savage during the evening with their parents. But today...he just couldn't his eyes off of her. Does this what letting go means?

He finally felt a sense of peace. Something he hadn't had in the recent years. He felt a sense of belongingness. He also didn't deny how the past few days were... _happy._ Innocently happy.

This road trip that he suggested was just something he thought of spontaneously so he could spend more time with her. A plane ride and a few days at home were fine, but this was more _engaging and fun._

He spent a few more minutes watching her before deciding that it would be real creepy if she woke up and found out he'd been staring at her for a while now. He removed her head from him and lay her down on the plush mattress gently.

He pulled the covers till her chin before moving to the other side of the bed and keeping a distance between them. He switched off the lights before slowly letting sleep consume him.

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - 1:00 PM ~**

"For real?" he clutched the steering wheel tightly as he struggled not to lose it for the hundredth time today.

Stella fumbled with the touch screen buttons of the GPS to get the dumb piece of technology to turn on. "Why would this thing turn off at the last second?!" she frowned.

"It wouldn't have if you had plugged it into the charging port like I told you to," he snapped.

"Well, excuse me! It was an accident!" Stella glared at him. He sighed and shook his head. "We were supposed to take an exit here somewhere. And with the worst co-pilot ever, I think I missed it," he growled as he looked over his shoulder to swerve smoothly into the right lane.

"Excuse me?! You're the one driving!" Stella hollered.

"You're the eyes and ears while I'm the feet," he retorted back.

"That isn't funny, you know. For God's sake, so we missed an exit. We can go back by taking another exit."

"And going an extra twenty miles! _Twenty miles!"_ he exclaimed at the number.

Stella facepalmed. "For real? You do realize that we're driving like three thousand across the country, right?"

"Correction. I'm the one driving while you're stuffing your face," he scowled clearly not appreciating her gorging down on all the goodies.

Stella grinned. "Well I did offer to drive-"

"Which, if I had taken, I'm sure you'll lead yourself and me straight to the hospital," he cut in.

She sighed exasperatedly. "So I was saying, before I was interrupted so _rudely_ ," she glared at him smirking before continuing, "I did offer to drive. Since you rejected, I get to relaxxxxxxxx."

Stella smiled as she munched on some chocolate chip cookies. "Want some?" she offered. He took it from her before finishing it in two bites.

"Aren't you tired? I'm not a horrible driver, you know," Stella offered once again.

He shook his head. "I don't trust you, princess. No offense."

"Why bother saying 'no offense' when it's meant to offend me anyway?" she pouted. "Fine, but don't scream your head off later. For the record, we'll be stopping at another lodge tonight."

He looked at her incredulously. "For real? Stella, I told you it was a one-time thing!"

"You're right. It was," Stella grinned. He nodded before looking ahead.

 _"At that hotel,"_ Stella smirked. She stifled a laugh when he turned to her with a sharp scowl.

"I'm the one driving and you're the one demanding a room," Brandon shook his head giving up on the useless debate.

"I don't want you to crash us somewhere due to a lack of sleep," Stella retorted.

"I would've stopped at a rest area, you know. I know when to get some sleep," Brandon defended himself.

"Well...! I want to sleep in a bed! Which I would be making full use of at this moment if you hadn't stopped us from going on a plane!"

"Grrr. How about we hop on a plane right now? I think there's an airport around here within forty miles," Brandon snapped.

"And leave my car in the middle of nowhere? No thank you," she said as she reached over to the back and reached a fresh pack of chocolate chip cookies.

"Stella! Save some for me!" he complained.

"There's like a gazillion packets in the back, you dork. But here you go anyway," she chided as she gave him one.

"This is gonna be a long, long ride," he muttered.

"You're right. By my estimate, it'll take us another week."

He resisted the urge to slap his own forehead at her response.

* * *

 **~ The Same Night - 10:30 PM ~**

Right now, they've just entered the state of Colorado. "There! Straight up ahead!" Stella pointed excitedly.

Brandon simply nodded, slightly exhausted. Stopping at a hotel was definitely a good idea. To him, it seemed like a fantastic idea at night and a terrible night in the day. Not complaining anymore, he drove in and parked at the nearest parking spot available.

He got out and immediately sighed in relief. He had been driving all day, making only occasional stops to eat, go to the bathroom, and stretch. He rolled back his stiff shoulder blades, closing his eyes in relief momentarily. With a sigh, he walked over to the trunk as Stella got out of the vehicle. He took her stroller as well as his.

He picked up with ease, not even bothering to utilize the fact that both of the suitcases had wheels. They both made inside the large building.

"Excuse me? Can you give us a room for two?" Brandon asked as he approached the reception.

Stella silently stood beside him and watched as the receptionist gave them their keys. Brandon took them.

Stella frowned when she saw how tired his eyes looked. He put the keys inside his pocket before picking up the suitcases. She followed him quickly before touching his arm.

"Give me the luggage. I'll carry them," Stella offered.

Brandon shook his head. "It's fine. Let's just go."

"But-"

"I'm fine, Stel. Besides, what kind of a man would I be if I can't carry my girl's luggage?" he spoke with a smile. He continued walking, leaving her with eyes slightly widened.

... _Did he just?_ She wondered. She swore she did just heard him call her _his girl._ A soft blush bloomed on Stella's face unknowingly. Maybe he just said in the heat of the moment. _Yeah, that's it,_ the blonde thought before following him again. He's just tired and he's being super nice despite that.

A few later, Brandon found himself setting down the luggage. He stretched slightly before walking straight to the bed and sitting down. A second later, his eyes snapped open as he stood up and turned out.

His jaw dropped a little as he looked before him. There was only _one bed._ His eyes darted over to Stella's who seemed to following his trail of thought too. Unlike last night, this was no suite room.

"Sorry. I'll go and book another room," he said apologetically as he took a step towards the door.

She stopped him. "It's fine. Um...I mean..."

He turned to her.

She blushed a little. "We sort of slept on the same bed last night. I'm fine with it...unless you have a problem."

"Are you sure?" he asked with concern.

She nodded.

She saw mild relief escape his eyes.

"Go and change then," he pushed her towards the bathroom near the door. It didn't take long to follow that instruction. She grabbed a nightgown and went to the bathroom to change. She locked the door behind her and looked at herself in the mirror.

She wasn't exhausted, per se, but she did feel a little restive. Her face looked a little tired. Brandon must be completely fatigued. He had been driving all day without break and with concentration. She quickly changed and grabbed her old clothes to put them aside. She washed her face with lukewarm water slowly, relishing the warmth.

A few minutes later, she opened the door to the bathroom and closed it behind her. She yawned as she took a few steps inside only to stop. To her surprise and not really at the same time, she found Brandon already changed into night clothes and calmly sleeping. He slept to one side of the bed. An arm rested under his head while another was on his stomach. Stella, silently, tiptoed over to the bed before quietly slipping in beside him. She pulled the covers till her chin.

Curiously, Stella scooted a little over to him and watched his face for a moment. She was stunned momentarily by how handsome he was. His hair gently brushed over his eyes giving him a mysterious yet powerful appearance. His jaw looked as if it's been _so_ perfectly sculpted. She smiled softly to herself. _Were they friends?_ It didn't seem that way. She didn't know what name to give to their intricate relationship, but she frowned as she thought about the future.

She'll miss him when she resumes college in a little less than ten days. She frowned as a realization abruptly hit her in the face.

She suddenly dreaded going to Princeton.

* * *

 **And cut! That's a wrap for today, folks. Two hours. Two hours to write this chapter. *Sleepy yawn***

 **But I hope my effort was worth it and that you enjoyed it :) Good night, guys :)**

 **P.S. I _do_ apologize for not proofreading my chapters for those silly typos and grammatical mistakes. Rest assure that I am fluent in English, so they're just mistakes and not discrepancies in my grasp of the language. It's just that the chapters are too long and I'm tired. So if you guys see any, please do feel free to point them out :) Thank you.**


	13. Confessions?

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **WARNING: LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE AHEAD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

 _ **To all reviewers: Thank you soooooo muchhhh for the love! I swear I had no idea how much I blushed and smiled at reading the reviews xD**_

 _ **Also, thank you for the**_ _ **fav/follows**_ _ **:)**_

 _ **P.S. I would also like to apologize for this story's awful pacing -.- It's so slow. So...I hope this chapter is to everyone's liking. I read a few reviews & many of you wanted Jason back. He WILL come back :) I wanted him to come back as a surprise, but I guess now there's no more need to hide it. **_

_****sighh****_

 _ **He'll come back in...maybe in around 2-4 chapters. I haven't decided yet. And also, the chapters will be LONGER from now on. Hence, the updates will be**_ _ **MUCH MUCH SLOWER**_ _ **because I have classes and coursework.**_

 _ **PLUS, this particular fic is a little harder to update because there are so many ideas rolling around that my writing style is literally impaired, haha. I know I've said I'll finish this story asap, but I have to go back on my word :( It will take time.**_

 _ **Anyways...thank you once again for the reviews/favs/follows :D**_

 _ **Moving on...!**_

* * *

 **~ 9:10 AM ~**

Stella rolled over in her sleep and clutched the sheets tighter, drawing them extra close to her body. She blinked in annoyance when she felt the sun's sharp rays hit her eyelids, making her blink twice to get used to the morning glare. She slowly opened her eyes and was welcomed by a white ceiling. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed her eyes. She looked around and to her surprise, the room was empty.

 _Where's Brandon?_ she thought while pushing the covers away from her body. She got down from the comfortable haven and saw that even the bathroom was empty. She yawned. _Oh well. He's probably outside for a phone call or something._ Stella sleepily dragged herself to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She brushed her teeth and took care of her private business when she heard the door to the room being unlocked. Her eyes lit up as she hurried up.

She washed her face with warm water and dried it off gently with one of the white cotton towels nested beside her. Turning around, she unlocked the door and stepped outside. Running her hands through her tangled hair, she stepped into the room.

 _ **His**_ back was to her but man, he smelled great. Stella's eyes slightly closed when she caught a whiff of an intoxicating cologne. He appeared to have showered already consider his classy look.

"Hi," she greeted as she approached him. He turned around with a smile. "Morning, Stella."

"Where did you go?" she mumbled sleepily as she fell on the bed again.

"To get breakfast. You were kind of sleeping and the mornin' buffet is only for one more hour," he said as he handed her a plate filled with full of food. Stella's eyes widened as she eyed the items on her lap. There were waffles, muffins, a bowl of Fruit Loops, cinnamon buns, toast, chicken biscuits, and pancakes.

She looked at him incredulously as she watched him start eating beside her. "Um...is this supposed to last me till this week?"

He raised an eyebrow not understanding.

"Brandon! I can't eat all of this!" she crossed her arms.

He chuckled. "Oh. I don't know what you liked, so I brought everything."

She facepalmed. "I'm not picky about food. I'm sure the reception and all those people down there thought you were feeding an elephant."

A laugh emitted from his throat. "Believe me, you're no elephant. You can barely eat a hundredth of what I can. You're not compromising because you're in front of me, are you?"

Stella scoffed at his smirk. "As if!"

"Good. Then start eating. We still have a long way to go."

"Can I drive today?"

He shook his head. "Absolutely _not._ "

Stella pouted and crossed her arms, silently glaring at him. He chuckled at her reaction but didn't budge. "In case you're mistaken, I do have a license and no priors on my record," she mumbled feeling downright offended. She stood up from the bed and carried herself along with her tray a few away from him.

"Why do you want to drive that badly?" he asked observing her childish behavior.

"I don't know. Maybe 'cuz it's my car?" Stella turned to him sarcastically while putting a bite of strawberry waffles into her mouth. She gobbled a few more waffles and a muffin before her stomach suddenly started to ache.

Stella yawned before trailing to the bed again where he was still gorging down hungrily. Shaking her head in disbelief, she shoved the tray into his lap. "You can have all that," she mumbled tiredly. He raised an eyebrow, "That's it? You're not gonna eat anything else?" Stella shook her head before slipping inside the inviting bed.

"Uh what're you doing?" he asked when he saw Stella pull up the covers.

"Can't you tell?"

"Stella, we have to check out by twelve. So get ready and we'll be on our way," he scolded as he slapped the pillow beside her to get her attention.

"Wake me up when you're ready..." she mumbled slowly dozing off.

"I'm already ready to go, so wake up," he rolled his eyes.

"Please...just an hour?" she closed her eyes as she clutched the covers tighter. He slapped his forehead in frustration before grumbling something about her laziness.

"I'm the one driving and you're the one acting like dead meat," he muttered under his breath.

Even it's only been ten seconds, he's pretty sure that she's already asleep. Sighing in exasperation, he finished eating before getting up from the bed. He took both plastic trays and threw them in a trash can out in the hallway.

He locked the room behind him before taking in the surroundings. He watched as Stella shifted slightly. She frowned as she covered her face presumably to keep the sun out. He chuckled before moving over to the windows. He slowly closed the curtains silently. Brandon turned around and kept his eyes on _her._ He approached the bed slowly with nonexistent footsteps.

The room was dark thanks to the heavy, recondite curtains that effectively blocked out the penetrating rays of the sun. He slowly slipped in beside her and shifted closer to her slowly as to not wake the blonde up.

Her hair covered her face, resembling a thick curtain, which made him frown almost invisibly. He slowly reached over to her face before hesitating. A moment later, his fingers descended while he placed a few silky locks behind her ear. "...what the hell am I doing?" he mumbled to himself as he continued running his fingers ghostly through her hair. Her hair was incredibly soft and slippery. He loved the color and texture of her long hair.

 _How come you're not scared of me?_ he thought to himself as he asked her silently. How is she able to sleep beside him comfortably every single day? They're in the middle of nowhere. Literally in the middle of nowhere. Their residence the past two days had been in a hotel in the middle of a bustling interstate surrounding by acres of verdant lands. She's completely at his mercy, yet...she's not afraid.

His lips upturned slightly as he gazed at her with an unknown emotion in his eyes. With a confused sigh, he fell back on the bed with his back hitting the mattress. He eyed his watch which read nine-thirty. Maybe he could get some sleep too. Afterall, he did have to drive a lot today.

He closed his eyes and breathed. He placed an arm underneath his head while one rested on his waist. His ears suddenly perked up when he heard a few shifts around the mattress. He opened his eyes in surprise when he felt a small presence beside him. Stella was so close to him touching yet not touching him. He watched her shiver slightly and bury herself deep into the white pristine covers.

"Brandon?" he heard a sleepy mumble from inside the sheets.

"Hmm?"

"C-c-can you please t-turn u-up the h-h-heat?" she started to shiver violently as she coughed a little.

"Sure..." he said as he reached over her body for the remote on the nightstand. Hovering slightly above her, he increased the temperature by a few points. Tossing the remote aside, he flopped back down the bed.

"It'll start up soon," he murmured while closing his eyes.

She suddenly pulled the covers off her face and poked him. He opened his eyes feeling annoyed. "What?"

"You're warm," she said with a dreamy smile on her face.

"And you're weird," he rolled his eyes.

Brandon's eyes turned to those of concern when she appeared pale. Too pale for his liking. She was fine like a minute ago. _What the..?_ he thought. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked as he placed a tender hand on her cheek. To his surprise, she seemed to be a little too cold.

"Stella?" he tapped her cheek to get her to open her eyes.

"Hmm?" she mumbled incoherently.

He sat up suddenly and scooted a little towards her. "What's wrong? You were fine a few minutes ago," Brandon asked as he touched her forehead. It was starting to burn up.

"I feel a little sick," she admitted as she clutched the sheets tighter.

"You didn't eat much earlier..." he thought.

"Waffles and a muffin, I think..." Stella mumbled.

He tapped his chin in thought. "Are you allergic to anything?"

"No...um...just blueberries," she spoke weakly. Brandon's eyes widened. The muffins...they were blueberry muffins.

"Stella, you ate a blueberry muffin! Even when you _knew_ you were allergic to them?!" he yelled trying to get her to stay awake enough to talk to him. "Stella, wake up!" he shook her as he pulled her sharply making her sit up.

Stella opened her eyes and looked at him sleepily. "Hmm?" she mumbled as she struggled not to doze off right there.

"Your allergy. How bad is it?" he asked clearly panicked out of his mind. He shook her shoulders to get her to stay awake.

"Not bad," she said. "I usually get a stomach ache and occasionally stomach sickness." She coughed a little before clutching her head. "Can I sleep?"

Brandon sighed in relief. It was better than what he thought. He literally thought that she needed emergency medical care. "Yeah, sure. Go on," he mumbled distractedly while letting her fall back on the mattress.

Glaring at her for her own stupidity, he joined her as he lay down beside her. Muttering darkly to her, he let out an inaudible stream of curses at himself for being so stupid. It has just been established that he had an _irresponsible airhead_ to take care of, but he should've known. He should've known beforehand about her allergies. He sighed as he slowly turned to her only to see her shivering under the covers.

"Stella? Are you still cold?" he asked as he shook her a little. The room's condition did improve so she shouldn't be freezing by this degree. "When you get well, I'm definitely going to scream your head off," he glared darkly as he checked her temperature again.

"You're already doing that," she snapped angrily. "LET ME SLEEP, YOU DORK!" she yelled.

"For your information, you're cold," he snapped back as he lay down on his elbow.

She sat up suddenly making him glance at her in alarm. Stella pushed the covers off her and covered her mouth. She ran to the bathroom and locked it behind her. Brandon raised an eyebrow at that until he heard her throwing up in the toilet bowl. _Shit,_ he thought as he took off the covers and went to the bathroom only to find it locked.

"Stella, are you okay?!" he called out.

 _No response._

...

Brandon crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall opposite to the door. He waited patiently for her to come out.

Stella flushed the toilet and dragged herself to the sink. She glanced at herself in the mirror. _I've never looked this crappy before,_ she frowned as she turned on the tap. She brushed her teeth quickly before splashing cold water on her face.

Brandon placed his hands in his pockets when his phone suddenly vibrated. Taking it out, he held it up to his ear.

"Hello?" he answered.

"How's my favorite boy doing?" Heather spoke from the other line.

Brandon chuckled. "Fine."

"And Stella?"

He frowned. "Um I don't know. She's currently throwing up and feeling sick."

"...Say what? How is she feeling now?" Heather asked in surprise.

"She said she's feeling some weird stomach sickness. Whatever that means. I'll call you later, mom."

"OH MY GOD. Are you serious?! Stella said that?!"

Brandon raised an eyebrow at the phone before holding it back to his ear. "Uh yes?"

"Omg, it's true then?! Lucassss!" Heather yelled into the phone, making Brandon pull away.

"Mom, what the hell?! I swear if I did hear dad speaking, I'll cut this call," the muscular brunette spoke darkly into the phone.

"Awwww! Oh my gosh! Stella is pregnant! I knew you two were such a good couple! Thank you, son!" Heather squealed happily into the phone, ignoring his earlier comments.

Brandon's eyes bulged out of his sockets. "EXCUSE ME?!" he yelled into the phone.

He stared at the phone for a minute or two before plugging in back in his ear. "WHAT THE HELL, MOM?! Stella had a bad case of allergy, thank you!" he yelled sharply, effectively ending all of the unnecessary excitement on the other side.

"Ohhh...well it's not too late now..." Heather suggested.

Brandon glared before abrupting snapping the phone shut angrily. Just then, the door opened to reveal a very pale Stella. "What were you yelling for?" she rubbed her forehead tiredly. His cheeks flushed. What was he supposed to say? That his mother nearly organized a baby shower for his wife?

"Um...nothing," he stuttered. "Are you okay?" he asked, changing the topic instantly. He stepped closer and checked her forehead again. "Stell...you're burning up," he whispered in concern.

"I d-don't feel well," she replied leaning slightly towards his touch.

"C'mon. Get some sleep," he ushered her towards the bed. He helped her in and pulled the covers till her chin.

He turned around when he felt a hand encasing his own. "Where are you going?" she asked tiredly. He faced her again and bent slightly. "I'll be right back. I'll go and extend our stay, okay?"

Her eyes widened in alarm. "No...we'll leave. I'll be okay-"

He shook his head and pushed her back towards the bed. "My mom's going to kill me if I dragged you around while you have a fever. I'd like to a live a little longer, thanks."

He turned off the lights and shut the curtains completely, making sure that the room is dark enough. He turned up the heat a little before heading out.

Stella, meanwhile, struggled to fall asleep. She shivered violently even though the room's temperature is set to over 80 degrees. These covers didn't help her much as she buried herself deep inside. She cursed herself over and over again for not paying attention to her eating habits. The truth was...she's been so involved in talking to him that she totally forgot about her food. She just gobbled up whatever's on her plate.

 _Brandon..._

Just the mention of his name had been enough to make her droopy eyes a little happy. A few tingles ran through her body as she blushed slightly.

Her eyelids started to feel heavier when suddenly, the door opened. Stella grew alert immediately as she heard his footsteps silently roaming around. She shuddered violently as shivers escaped her freezing body.

Brandon looked at the gloomy room in front of him with a frown. First, there was barely any light to note any silhouettes and there was a sick girl laying not even two feet away from him. Oh well...he might as well get some sleep. He had been driving for the past two days anyway.

He took off his jacket and tossed in a chair not far away. Kicking his shoes off, he carried himself to the bathroom with a fresh pair of clothes. He quickly removed his jeans and shirt and slipped into a comfortable pair of sweats and a sweatshirt. He stepped out of the bathroom silently and tossed his clothes aside. Tiptoeing to the bed, he dove in.

He sighed a little in relief when he no longer felt Stella's body shivering. The room was too hot for his liking, but if it can help her recover soon, it's nothing to think about. He placed an underneath his head while one rested on his waist. He slowly closed his eyes and relaxed against the mattress when he was interrupted. _Again._

By the lump resting beside him.

He opened his eyes _again_ as he sighed at her in frustration. She started to poke him under the covers.

"What now?" he said annoyed.

She pulled the covers off her. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

Brandon's eyes softened and he instantly regretted his tone earlier. "For what?"

"I'm such a burden to you, aren't I?" she asked.

"What?" he asked in alarm as he lay with his elbow resting against his head.

Stella's vision slightly burned as her head started to throb. She could practically feel her lips turning purple and blue due to the frigid cold. "I..." she breathed but found herself unable to go on.

"You know what? You need to rest," he gently pushed her back to lay down on the mattress. "We can talk later about why you're being stupid today," he chuckled while laying back himself and shutting his eyes.

Stella tried her best to fall asleep but to no avail. Her head slightly throbbed and she felt cold. Sighing to herself, she looked around the room blankly. A few decorative frames hung around the walls of the room. There was a TV in front of the bed as well as a few drawers underneath the stand.

She turned her attention back to the man sleeping silently beside her. His breaths were steady and even. Stella closed her eyes slightly when she felt warmth radiate from his larger frame even though he's a good distance away from her.

 _So warm..._ she thought as she felt herself being drawn to his body. She scooted over to him. She raised herself to peek at his face. _Good. Continue sleeping._ Biting her lip nervously, Stella slowly and hesitantly wrapped her arms around the arm which was resting on his stomach.

 _His_ eyes opened slowly as he looked down to see Stella coiled around his arm. He chuckled which made her blush a beet red. She let him go instantly and started to scoot away when he grabbed her arm.

"What exactly were you doing?" he asked amused. She blushed in embarrassment. "Um...well I...I was...oh God," she stuttered like an idiot. She yelped when he suddenly dragged her to him again.

He turned towards her and pulled her closer to him. "What are you doing?" she asked panicked when she felt her head collide against his chest. "Instead of you acting like a creep around me, I figured this was the better solution," he smirked.

She gasped and glared at him a second later. "Excuse you! I wasn't...I mean, I'm not...I didn't...!" Stella tried to defend herself but her lips fell silent. Instead, she tried pushing him away. "Brandon...!" she said as she pushed against his chest with a furious blush on her face.

"Stella, you're sick right now. And frankly, I'm tired too. Can't we both go to sleep?" he asked in frustration. To be honest, he didn't like her moving. It was doing no good to his already increasing inferno.

"But-"

"No buts. Stella, GO TO SLEEP," he warned as he slipped his arm around her waist while dragging her closer. He closed his eyes trying to get some sleep. _Sleep that she's been interrupting for a while now._

Stella, on the other hand, kept blushing like an arrant fool. Her face was against his chest and her body was practically molded against his. _Not that she didn't like it._ She loved this feeling. He smelled of an...earthy theme. There was a natural woody fragrance around him that warmed her instantly. She flushed when she realized that he's quietly sleeping. She shifted just a little to see a good glimpse of his face.

 _How can someone be crafted so beautifully?_ she blushed as she gazed at his deadly handsome face. Smiling to herself, she relaxed against his larger frame. She wasn't one to sleep beside just about any man. _But he isn't any man,_ she smiled against his chest. He's her friend... _not._ They were more than friends now. At least... _from her perspective._

She wasn't sure what she felt for him right now, but...she _knew_ that she wanted to spent this moment with him and _only him._

Stella closed her eyes slowly and drifted off to sleep.

 _Little did she know that tonight will be a night she'll never forget..._

* * *

 **~ Hotel - 6:00 PM ~**

"Uh uh. Oh hell no. There's no way I'm going down there," Stella stubbornly crossed her arms as she stood to the side.

"For real? Stella, there's no one here! What the hell is the problem?" Brandon shook his head a little amused while slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

The blonde blushed as she turned away slightly. She was really starting to regret to come down here. The effects of her allergy had worn off. She's the one who woke up _first,_ which she was grateful for. The position that she was in was beyond embarrassing. She was literally lying half of top of him and half to the side. Although she found herself not minding the position, she still didn't want him to know about it.

And currently, they were down at the hotel's pool. It was Brandon's idea that they go down and relax. Stella had been excited for it except now...she found herself wanting to bolt back to the room upstairs.

"The problem is that the least depth in this stupid pool is six feet! I'm not six feet, Brandon! I'm not gonna drown in a pool in the middle of nowhere," Stella snapped.

He smirked, "Don't tell me you can't swim." He took off his shirt, leaving him in only his pool trunks. He tossed the shirt aside in one of the lounge chairs.

"Um..." Stella fell silent.

He raised an eyebrow at her silence. "Wait. You really can't?"

"I'm not gonna step in a pool where I have to work to stay above water." Stella defended herself. She cautiously looked over the edge and shivered slightly. She can't even see the bottom, for goodness sake!

And what kind of pool would start with six feet?! The following depths were of eight feet and twelve feet. The pool was huge and it looked more like a practice area for the Olympics rather than a place for people to relax. There was a jacuzzi a few feet away, but it was a measly three feet deep. _Pathetic._

"Yeah...I think I'll just watch and relax," Stella shuddered as she stood to the side near the center of the pool. She eyed the eight feet depth below, not noticing the slightly smirking figure creeping up his way from behind her.

"Yeah no, I don't think so," Brandon smirked as he suddenly shoved her from behind. Stella let out a deafening screech as she felt herself topple over the edge and tumble into the sky blue waters. She heard another splash beside her. She struggled to move back up by wiggling her arms and legs around, but to no avail. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and Stella felt herself being pulled up the water.

Her face grew red with rage with she heard fits of laughter from behind her. She tried to turn around without drowning in the process. Moving in water is so exhausting and hard. Managing to turn around somehow, Stella slapped his bare shoulder. Unlike her, he was able to stay above water without much effort. She clutched onto his frame for dear life, trying her best to ignore his shirtless figure.

"BRANDON SHIELDS! I FREAKING HATE YOU!" she yelled.

Stella looked at herself and scowled. Her coverup is now wet, thanks to him! "Now look what you've done!" she snapped.

"What did I do?" he laughed clearly enjoying the look of raw anger on her face.

"I'm wet," she groaned.

"That's kinda the point of swimming, princess," he smirked as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Can you get me out of here?" she asked anxiously while looking down below. Brandon slightly loosened his grip on her in surprise when she unconsciously tightened her grip around him. _How is she so damn beautiful?_ he thought as he glanced at her in awe. Her hair clung to her face and grazed her shoulders.

Stella turned back to him only to find him silent and...with an unknown emotion in his eyes. His eyes bore into hers intensely as he captured her soft brown orbs with his darker ones. His eyes darted towards her lips. Stella caught his drift. He noted how her lips started to lightly quiver. He leaned in slowly and she found herself doing the same.

When their lips were just a breathe away from each other, the sudden sound of an incoming thunderstorm roared throughout the sky. Startled, they both pulled away from each other. Brandon cursed under his breath while Stella merely frowned internally.

 _Darn it!_ she thought.

"We...should probably head back. It sounds like a storm is rolling in," he said quietly averting his eyes away from hers. Stella nodded.

He helped her out of the pool as well as himself. With a sigh, he went to grab a few towels. Stella shivered slightly as she waited for him. She squeezed the water out of her hair as well as her flimsy, thin coverup. Brandon took two towels from nearby racks and dried himself with one of them. He marched back towards her only to slow his pace down. Her coverup was completely transparent, giving him a full view of her in a blue one-piece bathing suit.

He watched her try to loosen the outer garment with a small frown on her face. "Here," he tossed the towel to her. Stella caught it with a small blush as she placed the towel over herself in an attempt to cover herself.

"Let's go," he said while putting on his shirt over his damp form.

He turned and walked away without uttering another word.

 _Jeez...this night won't be awkward at all._ Stella sighed as she followed him.

* * *

 **~ 6:40 PM ~**

"Uh...you can shower first," he mumbled before locking the door. Stella nodded and made a beeline to the bathroom. She closed it behind her and let out a sigh.

The air back there was too thick with tension. She removed the coverup over her head and threw it on the floor. She turned to the mirror and looked at herself. Unconsciously, she moved up to touch her lips.

Her mind drifted to the night of their wedding.

 _"You may now kiss the bride."_

She remembered how comforting the kiss had felt. Even though they were in a position where both of them can't stand each other, that kiss still was something. Stella was too consumed in her grief to ponder over it. Now that she was in a better shape...she didn't know what else could feel more amazing.

Meanwhile...

Brandon tried to still his racing heart trying to get rid of his inappropriate thoughts. He was so close earlier. _Sooooo close!_ And this sudden downpour out of nowhere had to blow it. His eyes darted towards the bathroom when he heard the shower turn on.

He shook his head in frustration. He was finally ready to let go. He was finally ready to give everything up. And it didn't take even one week for his walls to come crushing down. _Because of her._

Now he felt something more than measly friendship towards her and he...he either condemned their relationship or he just missed out on the greatest opportunity ever.

Stella tried her best to shower as quickly as possible even though she dreaded stepping foot outside. Brandon's probably cold outside and taking a long hot shower surely isn't the nicest idea right now.

Brandon, on the outside, pondered silently. _Maybe I should pretend like it never even happened. Yeah. Or wait. Maybe no. Yes, definitely yes. But..._

 _Here goes nothing._ "Stella! Pizza for dinner?!" he blurted out loudly outside her door.

"Okay!"

He smiled at the reply. _Even though it was ten seconds late._

Stella spent a few more minutes washing herself before turning off the shower. She stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel from the racks. She wrapped it around herself. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized that she didn't bring any clothes inside. She had desperate enough to get away from him that she escaped the second she got the chance.

She could wear the old clothes on the floor even though it's downright disgusting. But the problem was that they're kind of sopping wet. Stella sighed. There was no other way now.

She opened the door slightly. Taking another deep breath, she opened the door fully only for her eyes to widen. Her cheeks turned crimson when Brandon stood in front of the door staring at her with wide eyes. Brandon's lips slightly parted as Stella stood there in front of him with nothing but a towel around her. Her shoulders were a little wet and her hair clung to them like a second skin.

"Close your eyes!" she suddenly hollered as she stepped forward spontaneously and shut his eyes with her hand.

Snapping out of his trance, he smirked. "Well well well...I certainly wasn't expecting this, but I can't say I'm disappointed."

Stella blushed deeply. Thankfully, he can't see her. "Shut up," she stuttered.

"Well, I'd love to see you blush, but I kind of have a shower to take. I ordered pizza so I'd get dressed quickly if I were you."

He pulled her hand away from his face making Stella let out a small gasp. She, however, saw that his eyes were still closed as he went inside the bathroom.

* * *

 **~ 7:20 PM ~**

Stella opened the door to reveal the pizza delivery guy with a box of a large pizza.

She thanked him and gave him the money. She carried the box inside and placed it on a table. Stella hopped on the bed. She couldn't help but be apprehensive. Tonight was turning out to be quite an unexpected event. Ugh, why did she have to fall sick in the nick of time? If she hadn't done that, they would be very well on their way to the next pit stop in a different hotel.

Stella's blood ran cold when she heard the door unlock. Her heart started to race capriciously as Brandon stepped out in a towel-clad form. Her eyes drank in how handsome he looked right now. With a perfectly chiseled abdomen, he was definitely a feast for the eyes.

He, then, caught her eye leaving her to quickly avert her eyes away. Stella blushed heavily as she looked away.

"Like what you see?" he smirked, enjoying her reddened features.

"I wasn't staring, thank you," she mumbled.

"Just so we're clear, I really don't give a damn even if you did," he smirked as he moved towards his suitcase. _But I would,_ Stella finished in her mind.

She turned around as he changed.

"I'm done, princess," he said mockingly a few seconds later.

Stella refused to open her eyes. "Seriously?"

"Well, I'm gonna dig in. You can sit there and be blind while I finish the pizza."

Stella opened her eyes and scoffed. She moved towards the window. "It sure is raining badly out there," she mused.

He chose not to comment. He was still pissed off at this weather.

"OW!" Stella suddenly yelped when she felt a pillow collide against the back of her head. She turned around with a glare. "What the hell?!"

"The pizza's getting cold," he smirked as he opened the box. Stella stormed over to the bed and took another pillow. She smacked him with it.

"Excuse you!" he deeply bellowed.

"Well, right back at ya!" she snapped as she hit him again.

He stood up and evaded her hits.

"Get back here!" Stella hit him wherever she could. He jumped on the bed and Stella followed suit. Soon, they were both having a pillow fight between occasional bursts of laughter and dissipating anger.

"Sunshine, you can't win a fight against me," he smirked as he jumped off the bed with his pillow.

"Wanna bet?" Stella smirked as she raised her pillow again to smack him. She took a swing but suddenly lost her footing. Stella let out a yelp as she fell over the edge of her bed. She expected her face to say hello to the floor at any moment, but the impact never came.

Stella opened her eyes when she felt herself being held by something warm. She found herself being drawn to the same dark brown eyes that invaded her senses constantly. He held her bridal style with a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I'm afraid you just lost the bet, princess," he smirked as he lowered her down. Stella blushed when her feet touched the floor gently. His arms remained around her, unwilling to move.

Stella blushed at the gaze he bore her with. It seems as if she's resembled nothing but a ripe tomato these days. She blushed every single subtle moment. Her cheeks flushed as she stared at him with a small blush on her face. His eyes only grew darker, if that were even possible. His hair was darker considering it's still damp. His bangs rested against his forehead and just over his eyes, giving him a dark, mysterious, and brooding appearance. _Something that Stella found herself being attracted to._

He found his resolve and self-control breaking at the proximity. He promised himself that he'd never in a million years hurt her. _Especially now._ She's more than just a girl to him right now. She's...

He didn't know what she meant to him right now. He didn't know how to label them. _Yet._

"You're so beautiful, do you know that?" he whispered huskily as he slowly leaned in with a small smirk on his lips. Stella blushed softly. "Thank you?" she whispered. He chuckled.

Her lips were just a breathe away from his. Stella closed her eyes when his lips gently grazed against hers. Without further delay, their lips slowly met into a soft kiss. Stella's breath caught in her throat as a million thoughts breezed through her head. Their lips moved in a perfect sync. It was almost as if they're the only couple in this world and nothing else mattered. Not anymore.

They both pulled back at the same time as thunder clapped outside quite loudly. She withdrew from him suddenly shocked at what she had just done.

"Stella?" he asked surprised at her reaction.

She stayed silent as she bore her eyes into his. What the hell was she doing? She...she had been craving for one kiss since an hour and now that she finally got it...she's rejecting it.

"What was that...?" she finally asked out of breath.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. Even for a layman, it's pretty obvious. They just kissed. _Duh._

"Was that done in the heat of the moment?" she asked, silently dreading his answer. Her eyes were masked with hurt when she saw him standing there like a robot. So she was right. Of course it had been in the heat of the moment. She'll never have a genuine chance with him, would she?

He snapped out of his shocked trance. "I don't know. What do you think, Stella?" his deep, masculine voice echoed as he took a few steps towards her. Stella instinctively took a step back.

"What are you doing?" she asked him when he neared her.

"You'll know in a minute," he said quietly. Without another word, he pushed her against the wall and crashed his lips with hers. Unlike the gentle kiss they had like ten seconds ago, this was rough, yet still passionate. Stella, shocked at first, didn't take long to melt into his arms once again. She kissed him back with just as much fervor.

He was the first to pull away after mere moments.

"I wanted to do that for a while now," he admitted while gently kissing her cheek.

"Huh?" she squeaked feeling dazed out of her mind.

He wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. "I swear...if you push me away again, I'll just kiss you harder the next time."

Stella blushed a beet red as she wrapped her arms around his torso. She laughed against his chest, making him smile.

* * *

 **~ 8:40 PM ~**

"Brandon! That was not cool!" Stella glared at him who was bursting out laughing from behind her. She sat between his legs and leaned back against him with his arms around her.

He smirked. "Why not?"

"Because...! You're making me watch a horror movie and tickling me in the middle of it," Stella explained in a matter-of-fact tone with crossed arms.

"For the record, this is one of the least scary movies out there," he defended his obsessive taste for a good horror movie.

Stella muttered under her breath. "Why can't men act like normal human beings?"

He chuckled at hearing that. He placed his head on her shoulder. "Should I change then?"

She blushed as he tenderly kissed her cheek. "No," she said in a small voice.

"Good," he mocked as his grip on her tightened.

He was just about to unmute the TV when Stella shifted in his arms again. "Can I ask you something?" she asked nervously facing him.

He nodded with his eyes slightly narrowed.

"Um..." She looked for a good word to describe them at the moment but none sprang to her mind. She gestured each of them before speaking again. "...will this exist tomorrow? Or...is it just...?" she trailed off.

He thought for a brief moment before caressing her cheek. "I'm not the type of man who's interested in flings and hookups," he answered.

"But...this was sudden," Stella fidgeted with her fingers.

"Stella..." he spoke with a tint of warning in his tone. "Tell me what's on your mind," he gently demanded he held her in his lap.

"Um..."

"I don't like silent answers," he glanced pointedly at her.

Stella looked at him and sighed a little. "You...said that you were heartbroken once. Are you really ready to move on now? I guess...I just found it hard to comprehend..."

"Weren't you ready? You had a bad breakup a few months ago. And your parents' accident too," he said softly. "If you can move past something like that, then I can too."

Her eyes glistened at his heartwarming words.

He kissed her forehead gently. "If I kissed you, then it means that I'm serious about you. You're not a rebound, sunshine," he said. He kissed her softly and instantly made her worries vanish.

"Any more questions?" he smirked as he descended his forehead down on hers.

She blushed. "Yeah. Just one. Can we change the movie?"

* * *

 _ **...and that's a wrap!**_

 _ **Sorry xD I just wanted to say that. I've been watching too many movies today.**_

 _ **So...I hope you did like that O_O Heh. IF NOT, I'll probably delete it and republish a different chapter :l**_

 _ **IDK, so let's see.**_


	14. Don't Leave Me

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **First of all, thank you so much for the reviews :)**

 **Second of all,**

 **Happy belated birthday to crazyfangirl42! Sorry I couldn't update this for your birthday but I** _ **did**_ **publish a new chapter of Love is Beautiful, so hope you enjoyed it :) **Gives you a HUGE hug****

* * *

 **~ 11:30 PM ~**

 _ **Two days later...**_

"I really enjoyed this road trip," Stella smiled as she cuddled up to Brandon's frame.

"Mhm...I wonder why," he playfully smirked as he kissed her temple.

She rolled her eyes not missing his egoistical tone. "I know you're looking for an ego boost, but you're not gonna get one."

He chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll miss you."

Stella frowned. She turned to him who had a similar frown on his lips except his was a little more subtle. "Do you have to go?" she mumbled against his shirt.

"For the record, it's you who's actually leaving."

She sighed. "You sure I wouldn't intrude on the new guy?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything," he smiled as he clutched her close. He sighed a little when he realized that their abrupt road trip has nearly come to its end. They'll reach New Jersey by tomorrow afternoon. He drove as leisurely as he could just to spend more time with her...but, clock's ticking. Stella's college starts on Monday and today's Thursday. And she needs the weekend to rest from the whole trip as well as get ready for first day jitters.

"How will you head back?" Stella asked.

"I'll drop you off and get on the next plane to New York."

She raised an eyebrow. "Ugh. You sure sound a lot happy for someone who claims to miss me." She pushed him away and scooted to the far end of the mattress. "I'm going to sleep," she muttered making him smirk at her in amusement.

She lay down and covered herself with the thick duvet before shutting her eyes, feeling a little upset.

"Sweet dreams, sunshine," he called back as he fell back on the mattress as well. He could tell that she was a little pissed. As angry as Stella was, she looked incredibly beautiful to him. He quickly rolled over to her and grabbed her from behind.

Stella squealed when she felt an arm snake around her waist. She felt her back crash against a solid chest.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked a little afraid. To be honest, they never slept together even after they kissed. This closeness scared Stella but also excited her at the same time.

She squirmed in his grip, but he only tightened his hold. "Shhh, relax," he whispered in her ear. He could feel her tremble underneath and for some reason, he liked that. He liked having this power over her. It was...endearing but, at the same time, also served as a boost of confidence for him.

He clutched her even closer, sending chilly shivers down her spine. "Brandon?" she called his name in a meek voice. He barely heard her. He still can't believe that _this_ is happening. He didn't know if he should label her as his girlfriend or his... _wife._ He breathed her in, ignoring her scared shivers momentarily.

He spoke after a few moments. "I'll never hurt you, Stell. I hope you know that," he said. He tenderly kissed her cheek. He let his lips linger there for a few moments before suddenly withdrawing and pulling away from her. Stella's chest heaved slightly when he left her side. He rolled off to the other end of the mattress and lay down on his back.

She smiled at his last line. His words were so sincere and so honest that it made her heart melt. How can such a simple action spring such emotions within her? It had been barely two days since they got together but it feels as if they've been with each other for years. She turned around.

She rolled to the middle of the bed. Brushing off all of her insecurities, she lay next to him. Brandon turned to her who was currently molding herself against him.

"Please don't go," he heard her silently plead.

He turned towards her and pulled her closer, allowing her to rest her head on his upper shoulder. "Just study well, okay? Don't worry about anything else."

"I don't want to go," Stella said stubbornly while enjoying the feel of his arms around her.

"But I want you to. You have a bright future, Stel. Don't take it away from yourself," he said as he kissed her forehead.

"..."

"I'll come and get you for Christmas," he encouraged. He liked that she was disappointed. _He liked it a lot._

"Okay," she smiled against his chest.

She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. The last thing on her mind was that...

 _She couldn't wait for Christmas._

...

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - 3:30 PM ~**

"Ready for college? It really is a good experience," Brandon smiled.

"You're talking as if this is my first time going to college. I'm going for Masters', you know," Stella said.

"Yeah, a barely 21-year-old who apparently happens to be utterly childish and ridiculous and definitely attracts trouble to herself."

"I do not attract trouble! And you're young too!" Stella defended herself.

"Yeah, but I'm older than you. By two years," he smirked. She rolled her eyes. Truth be told, the age difference between them wasn't that much. It would've been pretty big if she was in her teens, but not anymore.

"You're doing your doctorate right now?"

He nodded.

Stella gasped. "So...you'll be a doctor by the time I graduate!"

He smirked. "Hopefully."

"That's so cool! But why did you come to LA?"

"That's where my professor stays. I have to travel every now and then and seek his help. I prefer a face-to-face conversation," he explained.

She nodded in understanding. "So...you'll be in Los Angeles this whole year?!"

He smirked, "And let you suffer through the agony of not seeing me for a year? Never!"

"You know...you could really use some modesty," Stella sighed, facepalming herself.

"Alright. We're here," Brandon said as he cut right into a residential neighborhood.

Stella's eyes widened. "Okay. Jitters. We're here already?"

He rolled his eyes as he parked the car inside the garage of the new home. Stella felt like a complete intruder. Brandon didn't seem to notice her dry mouth nor her shaking hands.

He hopped out of the car and ran to the front door. Stella opened the car door and stepped out. She followed him with slow steps not knowing how this whole new roomate situation is going to turn out. He rang the doorbell and it didn't take long before a tall, tanned, handsome brunette answered the door.

Brandon smiled at his friend and waved a little. "Hey, Jay."

"Sup, Brandyyyyy?!" Jay answered as he patted Brandon's back.

"Brandy?" Stella looked at her new love interest with amusement.

Brandon glared, " Dude, you'll get your teeth broken if you call me that again. Again, I don't swing that way, remember?"

Jay ignored Brandon's obvious distaste and turned to Stella. "Oh my. Is this your lovely wife She's quite exquisite."

Stella blushed. Not because Jay called her beautiful but because he referred to her as _Brandon's wife._ Brandon noticed her reddened cheeks and simply smirked. He's gonna talk to her soon about that. "Um...hi?" Stella flushed as she greeted.

"Well, come on in! There's plenty of room for everyone," Jay smiled as he opened the door fully to let them in.

A few minutes, they were sitting on the couches in the living room.

"Okay. So, Stella, this is Jay. And Jay, this is Stella," Brandon introduced them to each other.

"Hello, gorgeous!" Jay waved as he winked. Brandon sighed exasperated.

Stella blushed. "Hi." She took a good look at him. Well damn. _Is every friend of Brandon handsome as hell?!_

"I really don't want you to scare this girl away, do you hear me?" Brandon demanded strongly.

"Of course. Stella and I will get along perfectly well," Jay smiled. He stood up. "Stella, hon, we'll go and get your luggage. You can go freshen up. Your room is ready. I took the liberty of decorating it for you."

"What?!" Stella's eyes widened.

"Just the way girls like. So you can go and freshen up. Second door on the left by this hallway," Jay smiled. Brandon stood up too and they both left to get the suitcases.

"This'll be good," Brandon smirked under his breath as he followed his friend outside.

Stella stood up and left for the hallway. She stopped just outside of her new supposed room. She let out a sudden horrifying screech at the horrendous view before her.

A few seconds later, she heard two thunderous footsteps making their way towards her. Jay was the first one to reach her. "What's wrong?!"

"Hehe, nothing. I almost tripped, that's all." Stella stuttered. Stella shot a small glare at Brandon when she saw him trying to stifle a laugh.

"Phew. Well, that's good. Enjoy, roomie! I gotta head back to work. I'll be back tonight but you guys make yourselves at home," Jay patted her back as he left the hallway. When he left, Brandon burst out laughing leaving Stella to glare harder. "What's so funny?!"

Brandon spoke between a few fits of laughter. "I don't know. I'm still debating which is funnier. Your face or this fluffy room."

She sighed as she marched inside. The entire room was decorated with a bright fuchsia pink. There were fluffy red hearted pillows and bright pink teddy bears. Even the curtains were a brilliant pink. She wondered how feminine Jay must be to go to this length.

Brandon frowned. "Hmm. I think I need sunglasses to step foot inside this room."

"Pink?! Seriously?! Why can't he decorate it in yellow?!" Stella threw her hands up in the air frustrated. She sighed and flopped on the bed pouting. Brandon chuckled and closed the door behind him.

"Movie?" he offered as he made his way towards her.

* * *

 **~ Jay's Home - Living Room - 9:30 PM ~**

"Jay isn't back yet..." Stella wondered as she glanced at the clock.

"...he probably won't be," Brandon smirked.

She raised an eyebrow. "...Okay? Um why?"

"He's probably hooking up with an unfortunate idiot," he shrugged making Stella's eyes widen.

"He's fine," he grabbed her hand and flopped onto the couch in front of the TV. He tossed her the remote.

"What? You're really gonna let me choose a movie?" Stella asked in disbelief.

He lazily smirked as he draped an arm over the couch. "A one-time thing, if you will."

Stella rolled her eyes as she scrolled through the lists of movies on Netflix. Her eyes lit up when her eyes caught one of her all-time favorite classics. "Haha!" she exclaimed in satisfaction as she hit 'play'.

She heard a growl from beside her and turned to him in amusement.

"Sunshine, why the hell are we watching this?!"

"Because," she laughed as his face transformed to one of disgust. His face scrunched up the titles of _The Notebook_ started to roll on the screen.

"Didn't you once say it was too sappy?!" Brandon growled.

She scoffed. "Yes. And sappy is just what I need right now. You're a very rude and bossy male." A second, she sighed dreamily much to his annoyance. "And Ryan Gosling is like...the perfect guy ever!"

"For real? Woman, I'm sitting right here," he groaned. Exasperated at this pointless conversation and her dreamy smiles, he suddenly reached for the remote and snatched it from her. "Give me that!"he growled.

"Hey!" Stella tried to get the stolen remote back but he simply laughed and held it out of her reach.

"Stella, I'm not watching some chick-flick. I've never watched this dumb movie and I don't plan to."

"For real? You've never watched it?!" Stella gasped. "Or...are you feeling too manly to admit it?" she smirked.

He gave her a death glare.

She gasped again. "You really didn't watch it?! Then you just have to!" She started to toss herself around in his arms trying to get the remote back but he held it effectively out of her reach.

"Nuh uh. No way. I'm not watching that," Brandon smirked.

"Uh uh. Yes way. You are watching that," Stella protested as she tried harder for the little device. "Ryan is sooooo handsome in this film!" she swooned.

"That's it. I've had it with you flirting with an imaginary dude right in front of me," he growled.

"What are you-?" Stella asked when he let go of her and stood up. He stormed ahead and turned off the lights earning a screech from the blonde.

"Brandon! Be a little sportive, will you?! You know, with the time that we spend fighting, we would've been at the interval."

He rolled his eyes and sat beside her again. "Trust me, sunshine. I'd rather this than watch some idiots kiss on screen."

"IDIOTS?!" Stella's jaw dropped as her eyes narrowed at him in the dark.

"Here we go again," he muttered as he scrolled through the different genres of movies.

"Don't you want something to remember me by when you leave?!" Stella protested once more.

"This conversation is getting stupid. I clearly made a huge mistake by offering you to pick," he chided her. He smirked when he stopped at his favorite genre. He hit play after flipping through a few flicks. _The Conjuring 2._

Stella shrieked. "No! Why are you punishing me with horror movies?!"

"You should've chosen a better movie then," he defended his choice of movie. "Besides you watch them all the way too!"

Stella flushed. The plots of the horror movies were usually pretty good except she nearly _always_ ended up dying of heart attacks at the sudden sound effects and blood curling screams. "At least turn on the lights!" She stood up to go but screamed in fright when one of the characters let out a heart wrenching screech of terror. She jumped into his arms and cuddled herself into his jacket afraid. He, a little surprised at the extent of her reaction, started to laugh.

"Turn it off!" she pleaded while burying herself in his lap.

He chuckled. He traced her cheek with his lips before moving near her ear. "Now do you understand why guys love horror flicks?"

"Huh?" Stella look up confused. She could clearly see his smirk. The living room was dark except for the bright light emitting from the TV, illuminating their faces in the process. A second later, her eyes widened as she looked at their position. Realizing what his implications meant, she blushed beautifully, a reaction that he's been able to get from her quite often.

Slapping his shoulder, she turned her attention back to the TV and gestured him to do the same. Stella stayed quiet for the first ten minutes before she screamed again. "What is that girl doing?! Woman, it's the other way!" she started to yell at the TV wildly waving her arms.

Brandon looked at the girl in his lap with annoyance. "Jesus, remind me to never take you to a theater."

Stella unconsciously hugged Brandon tightly whenever she felt scared, much to his amusement. He wrapped his arm around her and laughed whenever he could. Another terrifying screech made Stella jerk in his arms again. She buried her head in his shoulder again. "Turn it off, turn it off!" she begged while nearly crying out of fright. He chuckled.

He paused the movie momentarily. He lifted her by the chin with his finger and gazed into her beautiful eyes. Despite the room being dimly lit, Stella glowed with a distinguishing natural beauty. "You know...you're really cute when you're scared," he smiled.

"It's dark here and I'm not worried about my face. I must look pretty funny to you right now," she pouted.

He raised an eyebrow. "Hmm. I didn't know you were afraid of the dark."

"...I'm not..."

He smirked at the hesitation in her voice. _How cute._

"Yes, you are," he grinned devilishly.

"No, I'm not," she stubbornly defended herself.

"Sure, you aren't," he rolled his eyes. "What are you, five?"

Glaring at him, she grabbed a little cushion from beside them and hit his head with it. Not expecting that, he glared. The blow wasn't hard, but still unexpected.

"Wife, you sure have a lot of growing up to do," he remarked annoyed.

She blushed a beet red. _Again._ Another lovely usage of the word _'wife'_. "Husband, that's just rude."

He laughed and hugged her close to his chest. No one seemed to be watching the movie anymore. They were just talking quietly and playfully teasing each other.

"You know...I was nearly expecting for you to dump me here and leave to NYC the second you got a chance," Stella smiled and tapped his nose.

"I will...once I make sure Jay gets the idea that you're not available," he smirked as he pulled her into his hold.

She raised an eyebrow contemptiously. "Well, someone is jealous. Besides, you said he's gay." She sighed dreamily, "Too bad he swings the other way though. He'd sure break a lot of hearts."

"For real?!" he muttered darkly tightening his hold on her. "Maybe leaving you here isn't the greatest idea afterall," he snapped as he looked displeased.

She laughed at his grumpiness. "I'll stay loyal to you. Promise," she said sweetly making him turn back to her. His grimace melted away instantly at the mesmerizing smile on her fair face. "Well...saying things like that will only get you kissed," he huskily whispered as he moved in to kiss her softly. She blushed as they pulled away.

"You won't forget about me when you leave, right?" Stella asked while fidgeting with her fingers.

"Stop being so insecure and stupid," he chided her gently.

She buried her face into his neck, sending warm shivers through his body. "I'm serious," she murmured as her voice cracked.

Brandon's eyes widened as he heard a small choked sob escape from her lips. "Stel?"

Tears leaked from her eyes as Stella's body shook in his arms. She tried to control the lump in her throat, but the more reality kicked in, the more vulnerable she became. Her voice broke as she cried freely.

"Stel, c'mon," he shook her slightly. But she only cried harder.

"I'm only two hours away," he reassured her. He gently pulled her back just a few inches. His heart ached when he saw the tear streaks on her face. He wiped them away with his thumb as she sniffled. "Just study well and you'll be surprised at how fast the time will fly by," he smiled. She nodded, silently dreading tomorrow.

...

* * *

 _ **A few days later...**_

 **~ 7:30 AM ~**

"Stella, get your ass down here!" an angry voice boomed throughout the halls.

"Coming!" Stella panicked as she ran through the hallway and to the living room all the while looking like an utter mess.

"Girl, you're late on your first day!" Jay screamed at the blonde while giving her a plate of breakfast.

"Sorry! I...I w-woke up late!" Stella panted as she tossed her hair into a high ponytail and grabbed her bag. She grabbed a chocolate donut from Jay's plate before waving him bye.

"Stella, that's my favorite donut! Get back here!"

Stella chuckled as she heard him utter a screech of curses at her. She hopped to her car and tossed her bag inside before starting the ignition.

Classes start in twenty minutes and she had still yet to know where her first class is. It's a huge campus and people could get lost really easily.

* * *

 **~ 7:53 AM ~**

"Um may I come in?" Stella asked nervously, cursing herself for sleeping in. The teacher turned to her and looked at her in distaste for interrupting.

"Late on the first day, young lady?" the woman asked sternly. The class snickered. The blonde blushed a little out of embarrassment. "Sorry, ma'am, I got lost," she mumbled.

"Very well. Since it's the first day, you'll be excused. Take a seat," the teacher pointed to some of the empty seats somewhere in the back. Stella sighed out of relief when the female teacher redirected her attention somewhere else. She went to the back and flopped down into an empty seats, acting oblivious to some of her new classmates' wolf-whistles.

She sat down and looked ahead trying to pay attention to the teacher, Ms. Grizelda. She felt uncomfortable sitting all the way in the back surrounded by guys. She ignored some of them winking at her and listened to the class whilst taking notes occasionally.

* * *

 **~ 12:30 PM ~**

Stella blew her bangs out of her face as she stopped at an empty round table with a tray of food. She sighed as she sat feeling annoyed and a little miserable. Her phone suddenly vibrated but she ignored it.

She ignored the sting and hurt she felt. It's been two days and there hasn't been even been a single message from Brandon.

 _Nothing._

She texted him a few times and called him multiple times yesterday. After that, she stopped trying. She didn't want to seem clingy or bitchy. A sad sigh escaped her lips as she ate her food slowly. This was what she had feared all along. She grew so attached to him in a matter of a very few days that she found herself unable to let go.

And now, he had been calling her since this morning and she's been dismissing all of them with a swipe of a finger.

Her cheeks flushed when she thought back to the day he left. He had kissed her in a way that no one's ever done before. Of course, she never was that intimate with _any_ other man before. Not even Jason. Jason had been her first 'boyfriend', but all they ever shared was one kiss and a few cheek kisses.

But...with Brandon...it was completely different. Physically, he's irresistable. His face always mesmerized her. Aside from that, he's witty, sarcastic, and a total jerk.

 _But..._ she found herself aching for that same jerk.

"Excuse me?" A voice interrupted Stella from her thoughts.

"Huh?" Stella looked up. She saw two girls, a redhead and another with bright fuchsia hair, holding trays of food.

"Can we sit here?" the redhead asked.

Stella smiled. "Yes, of course."

"Thanks."

The two girls sat down. "We saw you earlier in Grizelda's class and seems as if you're new to the campus too."

"Yup," Stella nodded as she munched on a sandwich.

"I'm Tecna and this is Bloom," the girl with pink hair introduced herself as well as the redhead.

Stella smiled back. "I'm Stella," she introduced herself to the duo. "It's nice to meet you..." she trailed off when her eyes found themselves staring into a very familiar pair of murky green orbs across the crowded cafeteria. It was just for a split second before she lost sight of them. She might be dreaming, but she swore that she just saw...

 _...Jason..._

"Hey, are you okay?" Bloom asked. "You look a little spooked."

Stella looked confused as she looked around the cafeteria trying to catch a glimpse of Jason. _If it was even Jason to begin with, that is._ She grimaced slightly before turning back to Bloom who looked concerned.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew. I was probably mistaken," she assured the two.

Throughout the rest of the lunch, the three talked quietly and hung out together. They even sat together from the classes here on out.

Although Stella's day did get better, something still nagged her at the back of her mind. _Was it really Jason or was her mind playing tricks on her?_

* * *

 **~ Jay's Home - 4:30 PM ~**

Stella knocked on the front door, revealing a very pissed off Jay. "Where the hell have you been?!" he crossed his arms.

She pushed past him rudely. She had become oddly comfortable with Jay's presence and the feeling was mutual. They hit off pretty quickly. He rolled his eyes as he closed the door and watched her plop on one of the couches. She sighed heavily as she threw her head back and closed her eyes.

"Where have you been?"

"I needed a small walk," Stella simply replied.

"Stella, you need to tell someone before you decide to buzz off somewhere," Jay rolled his eyes. "And please answer your phone. As much as I love your boyfriend calling me, I don't appreciate a lovers spat."

Stella stood up angrily. "He's not my boyfriend. And you tell him to go to hell." With that, she stormed off to the bedroom. Jay shook his head as he took out his phone. A few seconds later, he followed his new beautiful blonde friend.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he entered her room and sat on her bed.

Stella rolled her eyes as she placed her bag down. "I'm done with him. I want nothing to do with him. Tell him that!" she fumed.

"Well, you can tell him that yourself because he's kinda listening," Jay smirked as he placed his phone near Stella's ear as quick as lightning.

Stella glared. "I'm not talking to this jerk." She grabbed the phone and moved to hand it back to Jay only when...

 _"Hey, sunshine."_

She froze when she heard a rich deep voice. Jay smirked and left the room to give her some privacy. Stella, however, remained silent.

"Someone sounds like she's mad at me," his playful voice sent shivers down her spine. _That voice..._ Oh dear God...

 _Earth to Stella! You're supposed to fighting with him!_ Stella breathed.

"What do you want?" she tried to say with fervor but it came out hurtful.

"What? I can't talk to my favorite blonde?" he smirked from the other end.

Stella resisted the urge to smile at that.

"You can smile, you know. You don't have to hide it," he rolled his eyes with amusement earning a gasp from her. _How did he...?_

"I'm not smiling, thank you very much! Why did you call?" Stella snapped angrily.

"I'm sorry, okay? I didn't forget about you, alright? Jeez, give a guy a break!"

Stella gasped. "For real?! Give you a break?! I wasn't the one ignoring you!"

"Enough. I'm sorry. Can we move on from that now?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'll move on when you sound sorry enough. I hate you. Go to hell." She still held the phone to her ear, unable to find it in herself to cut the call.

"I'm sorry, sunshine," he said gently into the phone. Stella wished so much to be in his arms right now. Each day apart only made her miss him even more. Ten days ago, they were in a place where they were both upset over each other's presence. But now...she felt strong feelings for him. Feelings that continued to spiral out of control every day.

"It's okay," she said. "I suppose you wouldn't give me an explanation if I asked?"

He paused for a few moments. "I promise you I'll tell you later. Please don't be upset, okay? Do you trust me?"

Stella nodded but then remembered that he couldn't see. "I do."

"Then trust that I had a good explanation for it," he answered.

"Fine..." she shrugged not feeling satisfied.

"So how was your day? Were your classes good?" he changed the topic effectively. Stella's eyes lit up as she started to blurt out about each and every lecture. He listened with a smile, obviously knowing and understanding all of the content. It was her enthusiam that made him feel a bit happier. _Just a few more months._ That's it. Then she'll be with him again.

 _Unless..._

He found a way to be with her a little sooner than that.

* * *

 **~ 11:45 PM ~**

"Good night, Jay," Stella yawned as she closed the door to her room. He simply winked much to her amusement. Jay was funny and light-hearted. It was great that they got along pretty quickly. Or else, her stay here each day would only be more and more awkward.

Stella's phone suddenly pinged. She opened it with a yawn. Her eyes lit up when she saw that it was from Brandon.

 _'Night, blondie ;) I'll call you tomorrow, sunshine._

 _Sunshine..._ Yup, that was definitely her favorite nickname. Stella blushed and twirled happily a few times. She fell back on the bed and grinned like a lovesick puppy. Letting out a dreamy sigh, she slipped inside the disgustingly bright pink silky covers and texted him back a good night. She turned off the lights and tossed the phone aside and onto her nightstand.

She thought about today's day. It wasn't so bad. She got burned for being ten seconds late to a class, but that was all.

She made two new friends. Bloom and Tecna were pretty nice to hang out with.

Her smile went out the window as her brain swam to today's afternoon. Did she really see... _Jason?_ His name alone made her sick to her stomach. She felt uneasy and disturbed. She didn't forget the way he tried to manhandle her. She didn't forget that he tried to hit her. Hadn't it been for Brandon, she didn't know what else Jason would've done that day.

She sighed. Should she tell Brandon?

 _No. I was probably just being paranoid..._ Stella brushed it off and dismissed it as nothing. She stubbornly closed her eyes and tried her best to fall asleep.

* * *

 _"Stella...trying to forget about me already?" a furious whisper neared her ear. Stella shivered when she felt cold lips glide through her skin along her collarbone._

 _"You. Are. Mine. Now and forever, do you understand?!" Jason growled as he pushed her against the wall. She tried to voice something, but nothing came out. It's almost as if her lips had been glued shut. Tears streamed down her face when he roamed his hands underneath her shirt and completely invaded her sense of privacy._

* * *

Stella's eyes immediately snapped open as she jerked awake.

She immediately sat up with a small gasp. She covered her mouth as a small gasp escaped her quivering lips. She turned and look at the time. It hasn't been that long since she fell asleep. She groaned. She's had this stupid problem since she was in diapers. Any recurring thougths of a trauma or bad memories only triggered horrible nightmares for her. Sighing in distress, she fell back on the bed lying wide awake.

Involuntarily, a tear leaked escaped her eyes. Thinking about Jason is too painful and heartbreaking. She's not upset about their breakup. No, not at all. She hadn't cried because of that. He destroyed not only her trust and faith in him, but also sent years of her hope for an everlasting friendship down the drain. He had been her confidant for a long time. _AFTER Musa and Layla,_ of course. And Brandon...

 _Why...Why did you have to do that, Jason?_ Stella thought sadly as she tried not to relive through that again. Memories of Jason reminded her what she lost. Compared to what she lost, the pain she received from Jason was literally nothing. She'd gladly experience all of that a million times if it meant spending one more minute with her parents.

"Mom...dad..." Stella whispered tearfully as she turned to the side. She missed Brandon even more now. And she's separated from him and won't see him for at least four more months.

"Why is life so cruel?!" she cried as she wept into her pillow, her sobs audible to no one but her.

* * *

 **Once again,**

 **A very, very happy belated birthday to crazyfangirl42!**

 **Those of you who wanted Jason back (heh, me including and here's a spoiler), he'll be back in the NEXT chapter.**

 **See you then. Thank you!**


	15. Jason Sinclair

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Gaahhhhh I'm so happy! Not only because my life is a little blissful, but also because some of you are just** _ **angels!**_

 _ **crazyfangirl42:**_ You're sooooo sweet! I smiled so much & I read your comment like ten times! (I'm not even kidding) But in all seriousness, I truly hope I made you a little happier and that your birthday was a blast :) :D

 **ekatykat8:** I swear I don't know how many times I smiled because of you :) Thank you sooooo much :)

 **lifeasmarah:** Ahhh, yet another of my favorite reviewers :D Thank you for your support and love!

 **AmethystPower:** Thank youuuu! Thank you soo much!

 **tulipblossom:** Thank you :)! Hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters too :)

 **Anna Stone:** Three words for you: I LOVE YOU. Your latest review made me smile soooo much! Thank you for taking the time to write such a long one! I read and reread it countless times because I simply couldn't believe my eyes! :D Stay tuned ;) Maybe you'll have what you were wishing for xD In fact, you just gave me an idea!

 **StellaLover:** Thank you so much!

 **Guest:** I'm not sure if I'm referring to the same person, but I've had a lot of sweet and cute reviews from this name. Thank you!

 **kanishka1:** Thank you! :) Hope you like the coming chapters :)!

 _ **I'm sincerely sorry to anyone that I might've missed. I remembered these names from the top of my head. But my hearty thank you to everyone else!**_

* * *

 **~ 10:30 AM ~**

 **Stella's POV:**

I was walking through the quad among crowds of students. I had an hour or so to roam around freely before another class began. Bloom and Tecna didn't show up today. One of them was stuck with the flu (which was unexpected) and another had a family emergency (too unexpected). So I'm kind of alone now.

 _Which I didn't mind one bit._

I was grinning like a complete moron while looking at my phone. All morning, it's like I've been lovestruck. After my hissy fit last night about Brandon's abrupt disappearance and MIA status, _**which I'm still soooo pissed about.**_ _Even now._ But it's kind of hard to be mad at him since hearing his voice again made me forget about that quickly.

Although I _**will**_ ask him when I see him the next time. He said he had a good explanation, so he better have one.

 _ **Or I'll kick his ass to the next dimension.**_

He's been sending me texts since morning that have been turning me into a grown ripe tomato.

My eyes lit up when I saw an incoming call from him. How am I supposed to be mad at him when I'm this hopeless?! I blushed and answered it in the first ring.

"Hi," I whispered into the phone blushing.

"Hey, yourself," I heard a rich voice from the other end. I could practically see him smirking. "You're supposed to be in class. Don't tell me you're going rogue on the second day itself."

"No, I'm free for an hour," I replied smiling. I was dead sure that people around me thought that I needed to go to an asylum judging by my wide grin.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"At work," he replied shortly.

 _Work?_

"Huh?" I asked baffled.

"My parents' company. I'm kind of the heir to it," he smirked.

My eyes widened. That's when I realized that I don't know _anything_ about him. But that hadn't stopped me from falling for him. He knew about my life, but I had no clue about his. "Oh..." I couldn't help the disappointment that came to my face. "I guess I don't know anything about you," I blurted out feeling a bit ashamed.

"Hey...it's okay, sunshine. When you see me again, you can ask me whatever you need," he said gently.

 _That was it._ That's all it took for my frown to turn upside down. His words were nothing special but the way he said them made my heart beat faster. _Plus..._ I love that he calls me sunshine. It's like...he says it so naturally as if that nickname is always on the tip of his tongue.

"Why do you call me that?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Sunshine. You always call me that," I remarked.

"You want me to stop?"

"No! I mean...no," I replied trying to be a little dignified, suddenly aware that I'm in public. "I'm just curious," I blushed.

He paused for a few moments before speaking again. "Because your smile shines brighter than the sun," he smiled making me stop in my tracks. _Again._ My brain went into La-La Land and I was blushing a beet red. Heh, what else is new? These days, I resemble a lovesick puppy. I can imagine his soft, molten brown eyes gazing at me with affection. Thinking about that just made me nostalgic. I know...I know I'll see him again in Christmas, but what the hell am I supposed to do when I blush at his every other sentence? I end up missing him even more.

 _And he doesn't make it any easier._ He keeps saying things that either make my heart stop or run at hundreds of miles per hour.

I resumed walking through the lawns where many other students were resting or just chilling out.

I couldn't wipe the smile that was plastered to my face. I felt oddly happy. Something I hadn't felt for months now. I placed my right hand over my heart which was beating erratically. Unshed tears sprung to my eyes as I smiled wistfully. We started out resembling enemies and now...we're in a relationship. It's crazy and unbelievable how life can rotate around in the blink of an eye.

I was so consumed in my thoughts about my new love sickness that I wasn't watching where I was going. I let out an 'oof' when I collided into someone. My phone flew out of my hands when I tumbled to the softly trimmed grass. I was debating on whether to apologize or give the crasher a piece of my mind. I mean, it was kind of my fault for not seeing where I was going, but...that doesn't mean this new fellow has to tumble me to the floor.

I brushed my hair out of my eyes and decided to give the idiot a piece of my mind. I lifted my head up angrily only for my eyes to widen. My jaw dropped open when I saw the man standing in front of me with a smug expression on his face.

"It's been a while...hasn't it?" Jason Sinclair smirked as he crossed his arms. So I wasn't wrong yesterday. It was really him that I saw in the cafeteria. I lay there completely, still unable to understand just what the hell he was doing here.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked. My words were caught in my throat so I ended up squeaking it.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm a student here, stupid. Or did you forget that already?"

 _Of course._ I remembered. I remembered the day we received our acceptance letters to Princeton. I was so happy because we were going to be together! I'm not one to believe in long distance relationships although Brandon is a total exception to that rule. I suppressed my smile at the thought of his name. Jason didn't need to know anything about my personal life now. I dumped the perverted jerk a long time ago.

...

I snapped back to reality when I realized that I was still sitting on the soft grass. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I cursed under my breath. I picked up my phone and sighed out of relief when I saw that Brandon's not on the other line. I must've accidently cut it off when I fell. I stood up and dusted myself before glaring at Jason.

I'm totally over him, although...memories of him did pain my heart. Everything we ever shared...how could it all be so fake? _So unreal?_ He's the first male I ever gave any remote access to my personal life. He came next in my life. _Right after Musa and Layla._ No one can ever replace my girls, but still.

"Take a picture, babe. It'll last longer," his green eyes danced with amusement.

I huffed in anger. As if I was looking at him! _Pompous arrogant brat._ Funny. I used that exact phrase to describe Brandon not so long ago. I chuckled internally. I was about to reply when my phone buzzed. I already had two missed calls from Brandon.

"Don't call me that, you jerk," I grimaced at Jason's reference of 'babe'. Ugh. I hated that. Whenever he said that, it made me feel uneasily queasy and sick. I gathered myself and moved to go past him when he grabbed my wrist.

"C'mon. You're not still mad at me, are you?" he smirked.

I tried to wring my arm free, but his grip remained. "Jason, let me go!"

"I can see it in your eyes. You're not over me, are you? Baby, if you want, I'm still available. We could have some fun on my bed-"

He was coldly interrupted when a hand implanted itself onto his cheek. My eyes flared with anger as I slapped him. I don't know what came over me since I'm never the type to use outright violence. He stared back at me and held his burned cheek with a palm. People around us were staring and some started to hoot for a fight. _Ugh._ These nosy gossip mouths around us just didn't know that they shouldn't mind other people's business. Thank God there weren't many students to actually attract attention.

Otherwise, I would have been suspended on my second day. _Bummer._

I instantly regretted my action when I saw Jason's face. His eyes were wide with shock and his lips were parted in confusion. A few seconds later, I could see his pupils dilate into narrow slits. He looked almost murderous and for some reason, it scared the crap out of me.

"S-stay away from me," I tried to seeth but...it came out as a demand with a tinge of nervousness. I turned on my heel and walked away. I practically felt a hole being bored into my skull. My hands shook slightly as I clutched my phone tighter.

My lips quivered when I felt my phone buzz _again._ I took a deep breath and calmed my racing nerves before picking it up.

"Hello?" I tried to speak as normally as possibly...but my voice shook.

"STELLA?! ARE YOU OKAY?! ANSWER ME, WOMAN!"

I cringed and pulled the phone away from my ear for a few moments. I heard frantic shuffling from the other end. "I'm fine...I um...I fell," I lied. Okay, no. It wasn't a lie. Just...a fabricated version of it.

"For Pete's sake, you clumsy idiot!" he yelled on the other end making me cringe even more. "You should seriously walk where the hell you're going," he sighed.

"I'm sorry," I frowned. I was still shaken up by what just happened.

"What are you sorry for? You were the one who fell," he sighed. "Are you okay?"

I nodded but then remembered that he can't see me. "...Yeah." I felt sick all of a sudden. I wanted to cry again. Seeing Jason is...just too overwhelming. And me storming to his face and slapping him across the face was just...not me. We were friends once. _What changed?_

The smiling moment I was experiencing just minutes ago was long gone. In its place, a deep frown etched itself into my face.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 4:00 PM ~**

After school...

I was returning home after a long day. It wasn't that long, but to me...it felt like an eternity before the last bell finally rang. I think the last few minutes of school will _always_ feel like a few eternities combined together. The clock never ticks at all! I mean, come on. I'm sure many of you can connect with me here on my surprise and mild relief, Jason was in _none_ of my classes. We're the same major so it did perplex me. But whatever. It's better that he's not here. It should ease my conscious, but somehow it doesn't. All I could think about was how I slapped him. He kind of deserved it for what he said.

I'm not a whore nor am I _that_ desperate to be with him. Even if I love him, I'd never go back with him. What scared me the most, however, was the murderous look he had on his face. He looked dangerous and just thinking about it sent an icy chill down my spine. _Oh Jesus._

I took a deep breath. My thoughts flailed around wildly.

It wasn't long before I pulled into the driveway of my new home.

I hopped out and marched up to the front door desperate to get inside. I don't know why but I don't want to be outside longer than I have to. I felt creeped out and goosebumps ran down my pale skin. I kept ringing the doorbell, a little deaf to Jay's screaming to stop.

"You little brat!" I heard a yell as the door opened, revealing a very pissed off roomie.

I let out a sigh of relief. I pushed past him and marched inside. I locked the door behind me before taking a few deep breaths.

"What was the ringing for?! The doorbell works, you know! It's meant for ringing once, not a gazillion times!"

"Okay, I get it, you broken record!" I snapped back, a little amused and, at the same time, fed up of his childish antics.

He huffed. "You just interrupted me from something _very_ important!"

I rolled my eyes but smiled lightly. I took off my shoes. "Please tell me I didn't walk in on you and your future boyfriend," I shuddered as I tossed him my bag, who caught it with ease and put it aside. I flopped on the couch and arched my head back, closing my eyes.

I opened my eyes when Jay joined beside me and slung an arm over my shoulder.

I turned to him. He smirked, "Tell me, baby. How did you seduce my best friend?"

My eyes widened. First, he called me 'baby', which I really don't care about. Jay says things like that, but he's funny about it. Second, his choice of words was just way too wrong.

"It wasn't seduction, thank you very much!" I huffed as I punched him in the chest.

He smirked. "What? C'mon. You gotta share your secret. Brandy's too hot to let go," he winked.

I burst out laughing at his hilarious nickname for Brandon. "Brandy?!" I laughed as I succumbed to a fit of giggles.

He beamed with pride. "Yup. No one calls him that but me."

"I don't think he likes it," I remarked amused.

"Who cares?! My best friend is a walking sex bomb and I ain't letting him go that easily. Tell me your secret," he asked or, rather, _demanded_. I blushed a little before slapping it off.

I raised an eyebrow at his comment. "I'm not sure if I should be jealous of you or not." Now that Jay mentioned it, I think I should ask Brandon if I have anyone I should be jealous about. I totally forgot the rules of a proper girlfriend (I think that's what I'll refer myself for now). I made a silent mental note of that.

He laughed. "You should be, hon. I'm no ordinary looker...and frankly...neither are you," he winked.

I rolled my eyes at his so-so compliment. He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I scoffed. "Dude, for a gay man, you sure are perverted." Although...Jay was right about one thing. He sure is handsome as hell. I hate to be rude, but if Jay had turned to be straight, then I don't think my heart could handle itself surrounded by hot-as-hell men.

He laughed again, bringing me out from my La-La dreamy land.

"Done with work?" I asked. He nodded. He relaxed beside me. His arm remained around my shoulders. It was a protective embrace, something I internally craved. Jay's hug was comforting and light-hearted. But still it was still nothing to Brandon's. Whenever Brandon hugged me, there was something different to it. I wanted to be there in his arms every moment.

I never knew that a simple gesture like that can bring out so many emotions in me. And now...I was in the mood for that gesture. Especially after today's little fiasco in the campus.

"You okay, blondie?" Jay poked me in the shoulder.

I nodded. "Yeah...just confused," I replied absent-mindedly.

"About what? Relationships? Believe me, babe, I'm a pro at 'em," Jay sighed dreamily. "Whatcha wanna know about? Oh wait. I get it. You wanna bang your man senseless," he smirked devilishly.

My eyes literally popped out of my sockets. _Please tell me that I didn't just hear that._ "WHAT?!" I screamed.

He glared while wiggling his ear. "Can you stop making me deaf?!"

"YOU DESERVE IT, YOU PERVERTED ASS!" I yelled as I started beating the rogue with a pillow.

"Ow! Hey!" he winced. I took no mercy and hit him on the head repeatedly. _How dare he?!_

I can't believe this freak just said that! My arms felt a little tired and I tossed the pillow on his face before storming out of the room. I headed straight for my bedroom, letting out a growl at the howl of laughter in the living room.

I slammed the door behind me to let him know justhow I was _pissed_ I am right now. My hot anger turned into a furious stream of dark red blushes. "Oh God," I chanted over and over again as I paced around the room as my cheeks grew hot.

 _Me? And Brandon? Oh Lord Jesus._

I calmed my heart as I tried to zone out the inappropriate thoughts. I like Brandon. I really do, but I'm not ready for something like that.

Just then, my phone started to howl maniacally. I peered over and closed my eyes, wishing I hadn't. Speak of the devil and he's here. I blushed a fresh dose again as Jay's sentence repeated in my head. I ignored the call because Brandon will surely know that something's wrong.

Nothing's wrong, but still. Everything feels so wrong.

"I need an antipsychotic," I mumbled shaking my head left and right.

A knock on the hideous pink door interrupted my furious rant. I marched up to it angrily and opened it with indignance.

"WHAT?!" I barked.

Jay stood there smirking and with a handset in his hand. "Yeah, I know you need some time to get over your blushing, but can you take this call? As much I as I love my best friend calling me at odd times...I do think this one's for you."

I tossed him a glare. Not that the perverted creep cared. I snatched the handset from him and shut the door in his face again. I let out a 'grrr' when I heard the jerk laughing.

I put the phone to my ear. "HELLO?!" I greeted angrily.

"Well, someone sounds happy," an amused voice spoke from the other end. "Why are you ignoring me?" he asked pointedly.

I suppressed the blush on my face. "Because...!"

"Because? For real, Stella? You better answer the damn question. I don't like being ignored," he huskily said out the last part. I blushed again.

 _Earth to Stella!_ Oh yeah. Right. I'm supposed to be mad at my feminine, yet not-so-feminine friend right now. "I hate you! I hate your stupid friend! I hate just everything!"

"Awww! We love you too, baby!" Jay hollered from the other end of the door.

I gasped when I realized he had another handset in his hands. "You jerk! Stop eavesdropping on my private conversations!" _Not that he listened._

Brandon started to laugh from the other end.

Okay, that's it.

 _I've just about had it with my life being stomped all over by stupid men._

"I must be pretty funny to you right now," I pouted.

"Hilarious," Brandon chuckled.

"I'm actually angry," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "You're a dork. Your friend is a jerk. And I'm in the middle of y'all getting walked all over," I ranted. He chuckled.

"And you don't tell me anything either!" I hollered suddenly making him stop.

"What exactly didn't I tell you about?"

"Why you disappeared for two days," I snapped. I was actually really hurt about that and he wasn't making it any easier. "I'm not over that, Brandon. You better have a good explanation. Don't call me again till you have that," I hissed.

"Stella, I told you-"

"Why can't tell me now? Don't you trust me?" I asked.

"Of course I do-"

"Then what's the problem?!" I demanded.

"Stella-"

"I mean, seriously!" I said exasperated.

"Would you freaking stop interrupting me for once?!" he shouted.

"Yes," I replied. I could feel him facepalming. What can I say? I'm not the best version of myself when I'm angry.

"Well, I actually-"

"It better be a good explanation," I started again with a huff.

"For real?! If you can just-"

I cut him off again, not realizing how heated up he must feel right now. "And I'm serious."

"Well you're not letting-"

"Like seriously serious," I replied again not really paying attention to his warnings.

"STELLA!" he suddenly yelled making me sit up with a jerk.

"Yes, sir!" I replied back instinctively.

I heard an exasperated sigh from the other end. "God...if you were in front of me-"

"What would you do?" I taunted not realizing that I just interrupted the poor soul again.

"Oh for Pete's sake," he sighed again clearly annoyed.

I shut my mouth realizing my mistake. "Oops," I mumbled.

"You're ridiculous," he stated incredulously.

"Fine, you're forgiven," I beamed. "I think I'm done being angry now."

"FOR REAL?!" Now it was his turn to yell at me. I mean, I can't say I blame him. I just showed him hell for the last thirty seconds by demanding an explanation that I really didn't need.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Unknown - 11:30 PM ~**

 **No One's POV:**

A tall, dark figure glared hatefully at the frame resting in his hand. It was a picture of him and a grinning blonde.

 _Stella Solaria,_ to be perfectly precise. Jason ran his finger down her face almost as if he wanted to claw over her features. He gazed into the picture.

She used to be his girlfriend once. All he had asked was a form of love. If she truly loved him, she'd never deny him that. He closed his eyes and fell back onto his bed covered with white satin sheets. He imagined her figure before his eyes.

Her luscious golden-blonde locks, light brown eyes, and rosy lips...

 _Those lips..._

He licked his lips slightly as he envisioned running his fingers and hands down her body. He didn't deny that his ex-girlfriend was hot as hell. _Too hot for her own good,_ he chuckled with a glint in his dark green eyes.

His shoulders shook with anger and hate as he rubbed his sore cheek. He could still feel the sting of the pain she gave him. _In front of everyone._

"You will pay for that, my _dearest_ Stella," Jason smirked as he opened his eyes and looked into the picture.

He frowned slightly as he sat up again. The photo was of them together. The two weren't together at that time, but still. They were friends once. Stella was grinning from left to right while his arm was draped over her shoulders. His eyes narrowed a little when he remembered how distinctively different he looked.

He looked... _happy._

He shook his head immediately. Whatever affection he ever had for her is long gone. _When she rejected him._ She hurt him by rejecting him. She hurt him by-

He froze instantly when he remembered the brunette in her house from two and half months ago. Now who the bloody hell was that? Jason's lips pursed as he remembered how he was practically thrown out of the house.

 _"Try that again and I'll throw your sorry ass in jail without any convictions. Understood?"_

 _"I didn't quite hear that. Do you understand?"_

Jason death glared at the scumbag who manhandled him. Any lingering second thoughts he had were thrown out the window as he remembered the humiliation he suffered two months ago. He wondered where the hell she went off to considering her home was _always_ empty whenever he made an appearance.

Including times as nearly as ten o'clock at night.

He didn't expect that blonde brat to troll around Princeton again. He saw her yesterday in the cafeteria looking bored out of her mind. She noticed him and he could distinctively remember her looking around frantically yesterday. _For him._

 _So I'm still in her heart,_ he smirked. His eyes narrowed as he remembered her this morning. She looked like she's just been proposed to. She was grinning from ear to ear and laughing at something she heard over the phone.

 _What if she's talking to that guy?_ Jason wondered. As much as he hated to admit it, that brunette was _very_ handsome. He was handsome and did have a _very_ powerful aura around him. Girls fell for the handsome and bad boy type, didn't they?

 _No. No, no, no. I will not allow that,_ Jason started glaring again. Stella loved him. She had a crush on him since high school. She couldn't have possibly thrown away _all of that._ He shut his eyes trying to mask the sudden overwhelming rush he felt.

"How can she leave me?!" he angrily yelled as he took the picture and threw it across the room. The glass frame shattered against the wall and fell to the floor. A few pieces of broken glass flew out of the decorative edging and fell on the carpetted floor.

Did she have _any_ idea of what she put him through?!

 _"She'll pay. She'll pay for this,"_ Jason whispered as he glowered at the broken photo frame. He could still see the smile shining brightly on her lips.

 _Keep smiling, Stella. It'll soon be your last one,_ he smirked.

* * *

 **Okay. So that's that. Phew. That's a lot of writing in such little time. I think my poor fingers need some rest.*Pants***

 **P.S. PLEASE PLEASE EXCUSE SILLY TYPOS/GRAMMATICAL MISTAKES/ETC BECAUSE I BARELY HAVE THE TIME TO TYPE, LET ALONE PROOFREAD. I recently read the previous chapters and there were _so_ many errors. Like ugh. So, this disclaimer is for _that_ reason.**

 **P.S.2. Many of you have been asking me to bring Jason back and I was contemplating too. I didn't know how well his presence will be received but I'm glad to hear that you all want him back!** (Honestly, I didn't have much of a story without him xD). _Anyways._

 **P.S.3. Thank** _ **you so much for reading :)**_


	16. A New Romance

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **FIRST OF ALL, as always, you sweet peeps made my day! Thank you!** _ **35+ REVIEWS!**_ _ **XD!**_

 _ **Especially Anna Stone!**_

A HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUG TO YOU! You're soooo sweet! I _loved_ every word of your review! It was so cute & funny that I started laughing randomly. My sister thought why the hell I was laughing and stoved a sock in my mouth (GROSS. Even though it was just washed from the laundry X_X) But seriously! Thank you sooooo much!

P.S. And yes, I am thinking of finishing this story because I simply can't resist! I love some parts of it as well (is that egocentric of me?) and I have this HUGE IDEA for our favorite SXB! Hope you end up liking it :D

 _ **Enjoy! (I hope :o)**_ **I have some serious second thoughts about this chapter...**

 **Moving on...!**

* * *

 **~ 3:30 PM ~**

 **One week later...**

 **Stella's POV:**

I sighed. I honestly loathed sitting alone. Bloom and Tecna were off to who-the-hell-knows-where and I'm stuck alone. I just felt uncomfortable just sitting at this stupid desk surrounded by seemingly hormonal men. And by men, I mean the typical goons who act like they're the coolest things on this planet. Just because I was late on the first day by two seconds, I got assigned to the back benches. _Bummer._

Ugh, I can't believe this. Even though these idiots were all in their early twenties, they still behave childishly. Grow up, people! This ain't high school anymore!

I gasped a little when someone suddenly sat in front of me, shaking my desk in the process. I narrowed my eyes when I saw a guy sitting in front of me. In _Bloom's seat._

"Hey," he greeted me with a smile. "I'm Andy."

 _Like I really give a damn,_ I rolled my eyes as I packed my books.

"Hi," I greeted briefly before focusing my attention on my notebooks and stationary. I avoided eye contact and acted a little rudely to make sure that this guy gets the idea that I'm not available. _Ugh._ Stupid guys.

"So...are you like one of those mysterious girls who doesn't like to talk much but then you suddenly realize that she was beautiful the whole time?" Andy winked at me.

I raised an eyebrow at his so-called attempt of flirting. I felt extremely cranky today and practically dreaded coming to college today. There was just an uneasy feeling in my heart, something that's been plaguing me since last week. It didn't take a brainer to guess the source of that.

 _I slapped Jason._ Even though it felt _good,_ I shouldn't have done that. I shuddered a little. I didn't see him after that, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel anything about that.

I took a deep breath and looked at Andy. "Do you mind? I'm really not in the mood today," I frowned as I zipped my bag.

"How about a date to cool your nerves then?"

"How about not?" I suddenly snapped, frustrated at this guy for not getting the hint to just _buzz off._

I stood up in an instant, giving the guy a sudden jolt. I rolled my eyes as I hurried out of the classroom and joined the students outside leaving the school. I sighed when I saw Andy catching up to me.

"Why not? One date is all I'm asking! I'm pretty popular, you know?" Andy smiled at me showing pearly white teeth. Does this idiot think _I'm that shallow?!_ I already made a mistake once by giving the most popular guy my time of day. And now that choice is screwing with my sanity and my future. (Dramatic much?) I'm not gonna make that same mistake twice.

I stopped and huffed. "First of all, if you wanted a date, then you should've asked me when I didn't feel like I wanted to rip someone's head off. And second, I'm unavailable. So please get the hint and leave me alone," I said seriously with a hinted glare before walking about on my way.

I shook my head frowning as I headed towards my locker. Ugh. This was another part that I hated. My locker was all the way to the other end of the long hallway. The perfect opposite of the way to the exit. That means more manual labor. And I don't do extra manual labor.

My heels clicked against the tiled reflective surface as I strolled towards my locker a little absent-mindedly. I looked around cautiously even though the hallway is still occupied by leaving students. For some odd reason, I felt as if I'm being watched. As I neared the end of the hall, the number of students only decreased, adding more nervousness to the pit in my stomach..

 _Great. Now I'm being paranoid,_ I scolded myself. I took a deep breath as I saw my locker in sight. Making my way towards that, I clutched my textbooks tighter. I halted in front of the little door and opened the locker using the key combination.

I half expected a boxing glove popping out of the locker any minute and smashing my face in. To my relief, nothing happened. _Paranoia to a great new heights, Stell,_ I shuddered. I put my books in there and made sure my bag was light enough.

I shut the locker only to let out a small, startled scream. I saw Jason coolly standing a foot away, smirking at me. I clutched my heart in an attempt to calm it down, but miserably failed. Again. It was that feeling of queasiness and unimaginable sickly pain in my stomach. I looked at him nervously and we were soon involved in a staring contest.

He smirked harder at me. I could practically feel what he's thinking. Fear practically rolled off me in waves. When I saw that smirk widen, a lightbulb went off in my head as I slowly understood. He had _purposefully_ left me alone so that I could falsely hope that he'd leave me the hell alone. _Guess not._ My eyes were wide and alert with tension. Even my stance was rigid and entrenched. He took a step closer to me clearly enjoying my ambivalent contemplation.

The next two words sent a shudder down my spine.

 _"Watch out."_

* * *

 **~ Jay's Home - 4:00 PM ~**

 **No One's POV:**

"Welcome, Your Highness!" Jay cheerfully greeted Stella, a little oblivious to her panic-stricken face. She smiled tightly as she made her way inside.

"What's wrong?" he asked noting her sudden silence.

 _Guess she spoke too soon._

"Nothing," Stella shook her head dully. She trembled slightly as she started towards her bedroom when Jay held her wrist.

"Stella. What's wrong?" he repeated seriously this time. Any note of amusement of playfulness on his face is long gone. He turned her towards him and frowned. She looked as if she's a ghost. His jaw clenched slightly as a feeling of protectiveness washed over him.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Just a bad day, that's all." She removed his arms from her and walked towards her bedroom, oblivious to a frowning Jay whipping out his cellphone.

* * *

 **~ Jay's Home - Stella's Bedroom - 4:10 PM ~**

Stella sat dully on her bed. She drew her knees to her chest and put her face in between them. She rocked herself slightly and frowned. She bit her lip nervously as the scene from earlier played through her mind.

 _"Watch out."_

It was just two words but those two words were enough to put her mind at unease. She looked around the room. It served as a safe haven for her. Nothing's going to happen to her. She was here. In her room. Jay is here. While she didn't know him for _that_ long, she had a feeling that he'll not let anything happen to her.

She was so consumed by her thoughts that she let out a large gasp when her phone rang suddenly. She didn't even have to look who it is. Brandon _always_ called her at this time. Hadn't it been for today's unpleasant memories, she would've been much happier. She frowned at the phone and wished that it would stop ringing.

If she lifted that, then he'll know that something's wrong. And to think how happy and excited she used to be whenever her phone rang or even remotely vibrated. She tried her best not to give in to the incessant ringing. She didn't want to tell Brandon about Jason and how the latter scared the crap out of her just a little less than an hour ago. Brandon will surely go berserk. She blushed a little when she thought about the first time where Brandon had thrown Jason out of her house.

Her toes curled inwards in excitement as she imagined the same scenario all over again.

"If you're not going to pick it up, at least set it on silent," an annoyed voice interrupted her from her wild and unrealistic imagination.

She looked up and saw Jay pointedly staring at her, leaning against the door frame.

"Seriously?" Stella sighed exasperated. What is he now? A mediator between them?

"Look. I know something's bothering you. So what is it?" Jay asked as he came towards her.

Stella sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing. Just...tell Brandon that I'm sick with the flu or something. I don't wanna talk about it."

Jay smirked. "Why don't you tell him?" With that, he wiggled his phone in front of her which clearly has Brandon listening in from the other end. Stella gasped.

"JAY, WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" She yelled as she snatched the phone from him. The immature idiot broke down laughing at her peeved face.

Ugh. _Just how dare he?!_

"Well, I better let you back into your business now," he winked as he immediately bolted out of the room. Stella took a deep breath as she looked at the phone. She shakily held it to her ear.

 _Please don't speak. Please don't speak._ Stella chanted over and over. She felt as if she's about to have a meltdown and hearing his smooth and gentle voice would only rub salt on her swelling agony. "Hi...?"

"Oh damn, you really sound like you're stuck with a flu. Maybe you should take it really easy today," a sarcastic voice spoke from the other end.

The blonde's eyes swelled. Oh how she wished he was here with her right now. "Hi..." her voice didn't crack much to her surprise. A tear involuntarily rolled down her cheek.

"Yeah yeah, hi. So, why am I being lied to again?" he asked peeved.

"No reason," Stella replied. A large lump formed in her throat. She missed him. _She missed him so much._

"Don't give me that. What's bothering you?"

Tears brewed in her eyes. She held the phone away from her as she let out a small choked sob. She sniffled, hoping that he didn't hear her.

Except he wasn't that stupid. "What. The. Hell. Happened? Stella...don't make me come over there," he said concerned and panicked.

"...I really wish you did," she blurted before she could filter her words. She covered her mouth instantly.

Brandon's eyes narrowed as he held the phone tightly near his ear. She tried to mask...uh...whatever she wanted to hide. Except...she's not that good at keeping a secret. He looked around his surroundings. He was at the doorway of her room which still had her presence and her scent. He sighed. He missed her. He missed her a lot more than she did.

He pressed his lips together and let out another sigh. "This isn't fair," he whispered. "Don't say that to me again." He heard her sniffle again. His heart numbed in agony at that.

"...I miss my mom. I miss my dad. And...I miss you," she started to cry.

He shut his eyes for a moment and then opened them again. How can he live away from her when she's still vulnerable? How can he let her stay so far away from him and live in peace knowing that she hasn't come to terms with what happened to her life?

"Stell...I miss you more. Just wait for a short while, okay? I'll come and get you," he gently said.

"...Promise?" she asked in a small voice.

His heart melted at such a precious request. "Promise," he assured her.

He spoke to her for a few more minutes before hanging up.

"Just for a short while, beautiful. Just hold on till then," he whispered to no one in particular. He placed the phone in his pocket and felt his keys inside. Jiggling them out, he tossed them and caught them from one hand to another. _Should I...?_ He debated before taking a deep breath. He had some things to fix first.

* * *

 **~ New York - 6:00 PM ~**

Brandon knocked on the door of the familiar household and patiently waited feeling a little apprehensive. His brown eyes darkened instantly when he saw his father open the door.

"Is mom inside?" he asked a little coldly.

Lucas suppressed the hurt and nodded, opening the door fully and letting his son in. "She's in the kitchen."

Brandon wasted no time to get inside and away from his father.

He passed two to three hallways before entering the kitchen. He saw his mom cutting vegetables. "Hey, mom," he greeted.

Heather turned around and her eyes widened with delight. "Hey, sweetheart," she greeted back as she kissed his cheek. "How're you doing?"

Brandon shrugged as he hugged her back. "I've been better."

"Now why is that?" Heather asked with amusement as she resumed her work.

The brunette shrugged but said nothing.

"Oh, by the way...Flo's coming back on Christmas. She's being transferred to New York," Heather grinned.

Brandon's eyes widened. "Seriously?!" He smiled. "Wow. I should probably call her once. It's been two days since I last talked to her."

"Here, try this," Heather turned around as she plopped a little piece of chicken into his mouth.

"It's great," he smiled as he chewed it. He enjoyed his mother's cooking. It was not only tasty, but she prepares it herself. They had more than enough to live a luxurious lifestyle, but none of the four preferred a too extravagant life.

He kept mum for a few minutes before his mother spoke up again.

"How is Stella doing?" she asked.

Brandon smiled at the mention of her name, but it didn't reach his eyes. "She's fine," he replied almost wistfully.

Heather turned around. "Is everything okay? Is she okay?"

He sighed and leaned back against the counter. "She's fine."

"But you're not," Heather smiled knowingly. "...are you?"

"I miss her, mom," he whispered in agony as he raked a hand through his chestnut locks. His jaw clenched almost invisibly as his thoughts revolved around his... _his Stella._ _ **His Stella.**_

Heather suppressed a grin. "Then what exactly is stopping you? If you're not happy here, then go. Go be with her."

He rolled his eyes. "For how long? One day? Two days? I'll end up missing her more when I come back here," he admitted.

Heather rolled her eyes. "Then don't. Don't bother coming back. Stay with her."

Brandon's eyes widened. _Live with her?_

 _Of course._ Why hadn't he thought of this before? It's possible. He could rent a place and...if she agrees to live with him, then...they can be together for as long as she studies.

"I don't know, mom. Aren't we moving too fast?" he asked. "We were barely together for a week before I had to drop her off over there."

Heather smiled. "That's the thing about love. You need to ask yourself, son. Only _you_ know for yourself whether or not it's the right time. Only you can make the decision."

"...maybe...you're right. I'm just scared that... I don't want to lose her, mom. I can't. _Not again,_ " he whispered in agony as his face contorted to one of pain and heartbreak.

Heather's eyes brimmed with tears. How can she forget? She witnessed her son suffering in hell for the past three years. Even as a mother, she wasn't able to help him. She had always feared that he might never heal from a broken heart. That is, _until Stella came into his life._

And now, he behaved a little like the old Brandon. And Heather couldn't be more grateful for her daughter-in-law. Not only was Stella beautiful on the inside as well as outside, she was also a strong girl.

Heather patted his cheek and earned a genuine smile from him. No amount of words could _ever_ sum up to the happiness she felt. _Nothing._ He was slowly coming out from the walls he had created for himself.

 _And she couldn't wait for him to actually come through._

* * *

 **~ 12:30 AM ~**

Brandon sat in the living room with one leg over the other. He clutched the photo frame in his hand and traced a tender finger over it. It was a picture of their wedding. Sure, it was a sore point in their lives, but he couldn't help but gaze at it.

They had taken _lots_ of pictures that day, most of them due to Heather's insistence. In this particular one, Brandon found himself unable to tear his gaze away. His arms were around her waist while her palms rested on his chest. He was surprised that his gaze had been on _her,_ while hers was on the camera. He remembered feeling momentarily stunned by her beauty at the altar. When his father gave him her hand...he remembered the fear in her eyes.

It was a fake marriage. Now that he thought about it... _that's_ the thought that bothered him the most. The fact that their marriage had been fake. But he was never against the fact that...Stella is _his_ wife.

His lips burst into a small smile.

He'll make this work. There is _no_ way that he'll lose her. There is no way that he'll stay away from her until Christmas. The past ten days have been nothing short of torment.

Since the day she entered his life, something started to stir somewhere inside of him. He started to _change._

He closed his eyes and wondered what she was doing. _Probably sleeping._ He chuckled. She was so adorable and extraordinarily beautiful while she slept. Nothing but a serene tranquility would be visible on her face. It seemed as if she was no longer burdened by the weight of the world on her shoulders anymore. If only she was that strong in reality.

She's not fully healed yet. And that's what scared him the most. Only he knew how much he wanted someone to break his walls and invade his personal space to comfort him during his dark days. And Stella is no different. She's still in the dark somewhere and she needs to know that he's here for her.

 _Just like he always will be._

He opened his eyes and eyed the photo frame once again. He picked it up and smiled at his _favorite_ blonde before placing it back. He stood up and made his way back to his room.

 _He had some work to do._

Like for instance... _packing_...

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - Jay's Home - 6:15 AM ~**

"Yeah, man. What's up?" Jay answered as he sipped his morning cup of black coffee.

Jay eyed towards the hallway before shaking his head. "Nope, that bag of food is still sleeping," he chuckled. "Dude, I swear she eats more than I do sometimes."

Brandon smiled from the other end. "...I'm glad."

Jay chuckled. "You shouldn't be. She's gonna get fat at this rate. Any chance you'll dump her for me?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

Brandon rolled his eyes. "You're one more comment away from getting hung up on, my friend."

Jay laughed. "Alright, alright. So, what can I do for you?"

"...Can you open the front door?"

* * *

 **~ Jay's Home - Stella's Room - 6:45 AM ~**

Stella slept within the confines of her large bed. _Too_ large for her body, but nearly not enough to tolerate her constant movement in her sleep. She slept silently, oblivious to the tall figure watching her quietly with his hands in his pockets. She clutched the blanket and wound it around herself tightly, leaving no room for any unwanted cold air.

The muscular brunette silently crept towards her bed and went to her side. Brandon sat at the edge of the bed and quietly watched her sleep. His fingers lightly brushed against her cheek as he leaned in closer.

"What the hell made you cry yesterday?" he whispered softly as he moved in to kiss her forehead. His lips lingered on her temple for a few moments before pulling back. He gently held her face which fit perfectly into his palm. He barely got a wink of sleep last night. He never felt so rattled in his life before. His heart had ached so badly just to get a glimpse of her. And that's how he ended up at Jay's doorstep early this morning.

He brushed his lips slightly against hers, his touch ever so light and gentle as to not wake her up from her peaceful slumber.

* * *

 **~ 7:40 AM ~**

"Morning, Jay!" Stella adjusted her dress and rushed around the house trying to gather her things, feeling a little too breathless.

"Hey, loser. How come you're always out of breath and nearly late to school?" Jay shook his head while watching her with an amusement.

"Because I'm awesome," Stella grinned while tossing her hair over her shoulders. "Bye!" she waved as she grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

"See ya," he replied while locking the door behind her. He watched Stella pull out of the driveway and leave. "You can come out now," he yelled at nothing in particular.

Brandon soon emerged from Jay's room and waltzed into the living room.

"So why exactly are you hiding from her again?"

The brunette shrugged, offering no response, and leaned against the wall, his eyes still on the door to which she just left through.

"What if she saw your car earlier?" Jay smirked cheekily. "There are literally three cars roaming around my beautiful lawn."

"She won't. She's not that observant," the brunette smiled. "Is something bothering her?" Brandon asked, changing the topic with his eyes suddenly narrowed.

Jay shrugged. "Like what?"

Brandon sighed as a frown marred his features. "I don't know. Stella...she didn't seem...right for some reason." He might be wrong, but from what he so discretely observed this morning (without surprisingly getting caught), she seemed frenzy and frantic. Could it be because she's late? _Really?_

* * *

 **~ Princeton - Campus - 3:45 PM ~**

Stella's hair flowed slightly in the soft summery breeze. She looked around the campus and sighed in nostalgia when she saw couples roaming around hand-in-hand. Everyone around her lived in the moment. Some of them were seated on the grass while others romanced under a tree.

Maybe it was the sudden sights of blooming romance everywhere because Stella missed Brandon like crazy. She sighed again. _I wish you were here..._ A pit of a lonely depression resided within her, bu Stella shook it off. She's really acting as if she'll never see him again. She'll see him in three more months. _Just three more months._ She knew he's probably really busy working on his thesis for a Doctorate, but she really wished that he came to see her. _That's so selfish of me,_ she thought as she shuddered a little.

She walked towards the students' parking lot. She took out her keys from her bag and slightly swung them around the tip of her index finger. She almost reached the parking lot when she suddenly heard a heavy and hot breathing from behind her neck. Before she could turn around, two strong arms wounded around her waist and pushed her against the wall of the building beside her. She let out a yelp as a much larger body pressed against hers in an unpleasantly way.

Impulsively, she elbowed whoever dared to hold her like that. Her so-called attacked instead let out a dark chuckle. Stella's eyes widened when _he_ turned her around. Her heart started to hammer loudly against her when she saw herself staring into green depths. _Depths that she once fell in love with._

"Jason...?" she whispered in shock. Her hazel brown eyes clouded with fear as her knees started to shake.

"How could you do that?" he growled as he slammed his fist to the side of her head, making her jump. "How could you break my heart, you _f*****_ little whore?!" he yelled as he slammed his hand to the side of her face violently. She was scared. The look on his eyes screamed a violent bloodlust for _her_ and it scared her to no end. She smelt alcohol in his breath and struggled to withdraw herself away from him.

"Jason, l-let me go," she stammered as she started to push him away. She tried to free herself. She had a feeling that she knew what he wanted, but she wasn't gonna wait around to test her theory. Stella let out a small cry when he grabbed both of her wrists painfully and smashed them both to either side of her head.

 _"You're mine. And you'll pay for what you did,"_ he darkly whispered as he swooped in and buried his head somewhere within her hair, making her let out a strangled scream of coiled fear.

"And so will _you_ ," a rich, deep voice growled dangerously, making the both of them to face around. Stella tried to blink back her shock. Tears of sheer relief pooled in her eyes of liquid gold when she eyed the familiar brown-haired man standing less than a few feet away.

* * *

 **~ Just minutes earlier - 3:40 PM ~**

"I'll break your fingers if you touch me again," Brandon glared heatedly at his immature so-called _friend._ Jay started to laugh at the peeved look on the brunette's face.

"So what are we doing here again?" Jay asked amused as he looked straight ahead. They both carpooled into Brandon's sleek black Mercedes and parked in the students' parking lot in the university a few spaces away from Stella's car.

"Just..." Brandon shrugged not knowing what else to say. _He's right. What are we doing here?_ He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling. Like...something's just not right about her.

His eyes suddenly lit up when he saw a familiar dash of a golden blonde appear in sight. His brown eyes watched her quietly with little emotion on his face. Even from a distance, he could detect a small frown gracing her soft face. It was subtle, yet it was enough to bother him.

Brandon leaned back in his seat and had a good yawn. He stretched and rolled back his stiff shoulder blades as best as he could in the cramped space. (And without giving Jay the wrong idea). He was tired and a little exhausted from tirelessly overworking himself since yesterday afternoon without proper rest. And the drive here, although not so long, only added to his stress.

Brandon's breath suddenly hitched when he saw Stella disappear into a little alleyway between two buildings. He jerked in his seat, making Jay follow his line of sight. Without thinking, he took off his seat belt and jerked open the metal door.

His eyes flashed a brilliant red as anger possessed his body. His brisk walk turned into strides of giant leaps. It wasn't long before he broke out into a full sprint. Brandon stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a clear view of what was happening. The image of Stella...in another man's arms sent him shivers of hot and burning jealousy through his body.

His eyes widened when he saw the man's full face. _JASON?!_

The anger suddenly fled from his enraged body, leaving an aloof and chilly hollowness behind. _What the...?_ he questioned himself in confusion. His eyes blinked sadly when he saw Stella being clutched tightly in Jason's arms. Just two or three weeks...she was in the same position with... _him._

While his heart writhed in an heartbreaking anxiety, the rational part of his brain analyzed the situation more carefully. Jason's death grip on Stella's waist, the fear visible on her face, and the unshed tears in her eyes...

His brain and conscious yelled to him that something was severely _wrong_ with this picture and when Jason slammed Stella's wrists against the sides of her head, he _snapped._

He stormed over there with Jay hotly in tow.

It wasn't long before they were both within a comfortable hearing distance. His heart wrenched when

"You're mine. And you'll pay for what you did," Brandon heard Jason say to Stella in a heated whisper.

Brandon clenched his fists tightly as his jaw clenched. _"And so will you,"_ he growled dangerously with his eyes burning with an unexplainable fury. He was normally a guy with a calm and collected demeanour, convinced that there are means of negotiation other than raw violence. But this was different. He didn't know which was worse. The fact that Jason nearly groped Stella or the unsurmountable fear in her voice.

The relief in Stella's eyes when she saw him made his heart soar. In an instant, he grabbed Jason's head by the nape of his neck and hurled him back. He pulled Stella out of the way and aimed a well-placed kick to Jason's chest.

Jason groaned as he fell to the ground. Brandon turned his attention to Stella and wounded his arms around her. He barely paid any attention to his surroundings.

Jay bent and matched Jason's height. He lazily smirked as he eyed Jason's face. "Well, damn, you fine," he chuckled. "But...not as fine that I'd let you get away with hurting my friend," he darkly scowled as he clenched his fist and aimed it straight to the lunatic's face. Jason fell to the floor, laying on floor while clutching his profusely bleeding face.

Jay smirked. "Hmm. Too bad you're an evil psycho. Otherwise, we would've made a pretty fine couple."

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Brandon sighed in exasperation. "Jay, stop flirting with him and get help!"

"Right!" Jay suddenly stood up and dashed out of there to get some administrators.

Brandon turned his attention to Stella. She cried softly into his chest. He wiped away the flowing tears on her face with his thumb and whispered words of comfort in her ears, which instantly calmed her down.

"Shhh, it's okay," he assured her trembling frame while kissing her forehead. He made sure to keep a watchful eye on Jason. Brandon clutched Stella tightly against his frame. His eyes darkened instantly and a frown marred his face, replacing the concern that was there a few moments ago.

A cold shiver ran down Jason's spine when he noticed the look that Brandon gave him.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Brandon darkly addressed him.

Stella sniffled while watching Jason with pained eyes.

"You _ever_ come near her again and I swear to God that I'll give you the most gruesome death possible," Brandon threatened with hardened fury.

* * *

 **~ Thirty minutes later ~**

 **~ 4:15 PM ~**

"Relax. It's perfectly okay," Jay assured the trembling blonde. "But then again...Stella, why didn't you tell us?" Stella shook slightly in the chair as they both waited outside the dean's office. Stella had just finished speaking with the dean and giving her side of the story.

A tear fell down from her cheek. "I didn't expect him to go this far. I thought...I thought I can take care of it."

"Clearly not," a deep voice coldly replied. Stella looked up to see Brandon walking towards her.

"So what's gonna happen to him now?" Jay asked.

"Well, he's with the police for sexual harassment and assault. He'll most likely get expelled from Princeton. This college doesn't need this kind of reputation," Brandon explained while locking Stella's eyes with his own penetrating ones.

Jay stood up from the chair and stretched slightly. "Well, I certainly didn't expect today to turn out this way. Can we go now? The day's wasting, people," he smirked.

The three went back to the parking lot.

"So...how are we gonna get back?" Jay asked, his eyes darting back and forth towards the two cars.

A long pause later, Brandon spoke up. "Take my car back. Stella and I are going out," he stated.

"We are?" Stella asked a little confused. Brandon crossed his arms and threw her a look that screamed 'Are you kidding me?!". Stella's cheeks flushed. "Right. Yes. Um...we are."

Jay shook his head amused. "Fine. Whatever."

He took off with Brandon's keys in his pocket leaving just the couple standing idly in the nearly empty parking lot.

"Give me the keys and get in the car," Brandon coldly addressed her.

Stella obliged him without a word. She's no brainiac here, but she was pretty sure that he was pissed. Heh, why wouldn't he be?

"Where are we going?" Stella asked feeling uncomfortable in his presence.

He turned to her who looked scared and downright uneasy. Good. She should be. His features softened a little, _just a little,_ leaving him to let out a small sigh. "To talk," he stated simply and turned on the ignition.

The engine roared as it came to life. Stella looked out the window and frowned. She didn't know what she was supposed to feel right now. She was still shaken up by what happened a while ago. She glanced at her sore wrists and rubbed them slowly. She was pretty sure that there will be a bruise bracelet on each of her wrists in a few hours.

Her eyes clouded with tears. If, a few months ago, someone had told her that her life would've have turned out this way, she would've laughed in their face and dismissed it as nothing more than a mere and stupid notion.

She let out a small gasp when the car suddenly screeched to a sharp stop, halting all of her thought processes.

"Get out," she heard Brandon mutter with an edge in his tone. He removed the seat belt and opened the door.

Stella, in confusion, looked around. Um...where the hell was she? Had she been that preoccupied that she didn't pay attention to wherever the hell he was taking her? She jumped when his side of the door slammed shut. Stella sighed as she took out the seat belt and followed him out the car.

She looked around. There were trees all around her...and that was it.

"It's a campsite," Brandon explained noting her confused expression. Her lips formed into a small 'oh' in understanding. He approached near her and stopped.

She leaned against the car, not really knowing what to say.

"...When did you come?" she asked in a small voice.

Brandon took a few steps forward. "This morning," he answered. She nodded assuming that he must've come after she left. He stared at her long and hard. Her eyes were cast slightly downwards and she seemed reticent enough to look him in the eye.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her with little emotion in his eyes.

She sighed. "I don't know."

His anger only doubled at the vague answer. "SERIOUSLY?!" he yelled out of the blue, making her jump in fright. He slammed a hand against the side of the car, trapping her between the vehicle and himself. "I'll ask you this again, Stella. And I better get an answer other than 'I don't know'," he warned.

"WHY. DID. YOU. NOT. TELL. ME?!" he asked angrily.

"Brand-" she tried to protest but he cut her off.

"Answer the damn question. You were accusing me of hiding something just because I went MIA for two days. _Two days!_ And you go and do the same thing?!" he asked as his eyes narrowed further in anger.

She cringed at his harsh voice. She has _never_ seen him so angry. Well, she saw him incredibly angry _once._ But this was totally another level. He appeared dangerous, but she, of course, knew that he would never hurt her.

"WHY?" he repeated again.

Her eyes blinked back tears. "...Because I can't," she murmured hoping he didn't hear her. To her misfortune, he did.

"You can't? Or is it because you didn't want to?" he asked harshly.

"What?" her eyes widened in shock. Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?

"Tell me, Stella. Is it because you secretly wanted to be with him?" he asked almost mockingly.

A tear rolled down her cheek as her jaw dropped. Even though she felt immensely hurt at the accusation, she surely wasn't going to watch him insult her self-respect. "Screw you!" she yelled back. "Now do you realize why I didn't tell you?!"

He rolled his eyes, effectively masking the hurt he felt at the moment. "Yeah, right. I would've felt better if you had told me beforehand instead of finding out like this. I can't believe I even thought of..." he trailed off while looking away from her.

She blinked, trying her best to keep the waterworks at bay. "No, no, finish that sentence," she choked out, making him turn back to her again. "I never asked you to save me! If you regret saving me that much, then you shouldn't have done it!" she yelled as she gave his shoulder a sharp push.

His eyes widened. "What...? Do you think I regret...saving you?" he asked with shock evident in his eyes. How could she even suggest such a thing?!

"You're the one who said it," she choked on a small sob.

His eyes softened when he saw her freely crying.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" she yelled as she tried to push him away. He, however, didn't budge a single inch and continued watching her cry. Each of her sobs sent an aching pang through his heart.

He placed a finger under her chin and turned her towards him. The hurt visible clearly in her eyes made him feel like dirt. Yup. Now was the time to regret his words. Getting yelled at after being nearly molested by a crazy man is not something of someone's idea of a good day.

"...I was going to ask you to move in with me," he stated quietly.

She blinked a few times in shock. "...w-what?" she whispered.

He chuckled hollowly. "Why do you think I'm here? I got here this morning before you woke up," he explained, making her eyes further widen in disbelief.

 _So...either I was blind or he was hiding somewhere this morning,_ Stella thought. Her sniffles soon turned into a pointed glare. She had been _yearning_ for his company and now he tells her that he had been right under her nose?

He stepped closer to her, his anger slowly started to dissipate and fade away.

"I hate you," she muttered as she hit his upper shoulder.

"I know," he murmured as he hooked a firm arm around her waist. Stella let out a surprised moan when she felt warm lips press firmly against hers. His arm caressed her back while another hand fisted around her hair. He further deepened the kiss, an indication of just how much he missed her over the past two weeks. He drank in each of her urgent whimpers, enjoying the feel of her shuddering in his hold.

Stella let out a soft moan at his possessive hold. She trembled when he pulled back just slightly away. He smirked almost wickedly as he drank in just how beautiful she looked at the moment. Her eyes were still closed as her breathing heaved. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. He leaned in once more and kissed her again repeatedly.

He pulled back again before he lost complete control. She trembled when she opened her eyes and was captured by his dark brown eyes. She stared at him dumbly, shocked by the reality of his kiss.

"Will you move in with me?" he asked as a small smile played on his lips.

"...what about your-"

He placed a finger on her lips, leaving her to blush. "That's my headache. Not yours. _Just give me an answer, sunshine,"_ he prodded her.

 _"...yes..."_

He smiled when he saw her blush.

He tenderly kissed her cheek. "Hide anything else from me again and you'll have more to lose, sunshine," he huskily whispered near her earlobe. Stella's cheeks flushed a bright red at the suggestive implication. He smirked as he traced her lower lip with his thumb, eliciting a shiver from her at such a simple touch.

He opened the rear car door and sat down. He pulled her down into his lap and they both adjusted themselves to be as comfortable as they can.

"...Why didn't you tell me that you were back?" she frowned as she lay her head in his chest.

He patted her hair. "I wanted to surprise you in the evening. I didn't think you'd be on your best behavior in the mornings," he smirked indirectly referring to her super tardiness.

She rolled her eyes. "So...when are we moving in?"

He smirked. "Eager now, aren't we?" Stella blushed once more.

He kissed her cheek. "This weekend," he whispered.

She beamed. "REALLY?!"

He smiled fondly. "You're really that happy?"

She answered his question by continuing to beam at him with a radiant smile that nearly made his heart stop. And that's when he knew. That he made the right decision. He didn't care that it'll be hard to work from NJ. He didn't care that things will be difficult. He didn't care about the cost or expenses that will cost him. Compared to her happiness, all of these didn't matter to him.

He continued gazing at her, wondering when his life changed so drastically. _Thank you, Stell,_ he kissed her cheek tenderly.

* * *

 **...Aaarrgghhh. That was way too much to write in one sitting. I swear I'm gonna get finger blisters one day.**

 *****ANYWAY*** I hope you enjoyed that. Jason is gone for good. And now it's time to explore a few other characters that I've conveniently ignored.**

 _ **If yes -**_ **You're amazing for liking even when I write on my bad days.**

 _ **If no-**_ **...thank you for still reading...?**


	17. Goodbye, Four Months

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **First of all, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH to everyone who took their sweet time in reading and reviewing!**

 **And second, I would like to address one particular user:**

 **Sunnyparadise:** I'm afraid you've been severely mistaken. I admit I'm a little hurt by that, but I can understand why you would feel that way. Anna does leave lengthy reviews and I love her for that because it's nice to hear that someone likes your work enough to leave such delineated and scrutinized critiques. So you must've thought that I was praising myself through another username. And you couldn't be more wrong about that. Anna Stone and I are two very different people from different countries. Her username on FanFiction is _blazingstar99_ and she has been a user on this site since 2015. She and I have been PMing for about 8-9 days now, so I have proof of that if you'd like. So, that's my explanation for your theory. Whether or not you choose to believe it, it's totally up to you :)

 _ **Moving on...!**_

* * *

 _ **4-5 days later...**_

 **~ 8:30 PM ~**

Stella flopped into the recliner chair with a pained and tired moan. She was ready to doze off any second now and she would've done just that except there are two hooligans in her life that gave her a headache.

"What's wrong, baby?" an arm clasped around her from behind the chair while a chin rested on top of her head.

Stella glared at Jay. "You...! You! Him over there! Ugh. Everything is wrong!"

Jay cheekily grinned. "Yeah, okay. I didn't understand any of that. So...what am I supposed to do with your room now?" he asked giving her the puppy dog eyes. He let her go and sat in front of her.

Stella looked at him amused. "I had been meaning to ask you about that. I always wondered how feminine you must be to decorate my room in pink?"

He pretended be offended. Jay dramatically clutched his heart as if it's paining him. "I can't believe you just said that! My heart is severely damaged, Stella bear. You really think that this six foot hunk is feminine? Oh lord Jesus."

Stella burst out laughing and stood up. She yawned. "I'm hungry," she murmured as she looked around the new house.

Jay rolled his eyes. "You ate like a pig an hour ago. At this rate, it won't be long till you resemble a pregnant lady."

Stella scoffed. "You're offending those soon-to-be mothers! There's nothing with being pregnant, you know!"

"No. There certainly isn't," an amused voice said from behind. Stella smiled when she felt his lips kiss her cheek.

Jay grinned. "What about me? I don't get a greeting kiss. Brandy, I'm insulted."

Stella broke down laughing at Jay's fake glare while Brandon started to clench his fists. He pushed Stella aside and stormed up to Jay. "Why am I even friends with you?!"

Jay stood up and laughed. "'Cuz I'm awesome, Brandy bear," he smirked.

"Brandy bear?" Stella repeated while breaking down into another fit of giggles.

"That's it," Brandon looked fed up. "I'm through here." He stormed out of the room and into their new home.

Jay looked after him laughing. "I'll see you guys soon, Stell," he smiled warmly at the blonde.

Stella smiled. "Thank you, Jay. I love you," she hugged him.

"Awww, I love you too, baby! Wanna go on a date?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

Stella laughed at his playful nature. "Good night."

"'Night," Jay smiled as he let her go. "Good night, Brandyyyy!" he yelled on his way out, leaving Stella to chuckle again. She locked the door as he left.

Stella looked around the new home. It was a cozy place with three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and the rest of the common rooms. It was already furnished and they only had to shift their things here.

"Oh wait. That reminds me," Stella scratched her head as she headed towards Brandon's room.

"Ohhh, Branddyyyyyy!" she called for him in a sing-song voice, nearing his room. Just then, she let out a surprised yelp when two strong arms wound around her from behind.

"What'd you say?!" she heard a heated whisper. Stella felt the glare being bore into her skull, but she couldn't help but laugh. His royal ego had definitely been bruised and wounded severely.

Stella turned around to face him. "I keep forgetting to ask you."

"Uh huh," he raised an eyebrow.

"How much was the rent? I need to pay you-"

He cut her off immediately. "No, you don't. Stella, we had this discussion already," he replied. He sighed and let go of her, going straight towards his bed. Stella followed him.

"Then what's the deal?! You practically avoid me _everytime_ I bring the topic about our roadtrip expenses! Brandon, I can pay for myself, you know," Stella protested as she watched him sit down. She stood in front of him and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for an answer.

He pulled down onto his lap and lightly stroked her wounded face.

"Why won't you ever let me pay?" Stella asked, feeling a little hurt. "I feel like a gold digger everytime you-"

He kissed her softly, cutting her off. He made sure to keep the kiss short and brief. "You're not. Stell...if I let you pay, it means that..." he trailed off.

"It means what?! I feel like I'm freeloading off of you and I hate that, okay?! I hate you too," she talked childishly.

He chuckled. He traced her lower lip with his thumb. "It means that we're not as close as I'd like us to be."

Her eyes widened just a little as he continued. "Huh?"

"I know, I know. We've only been together for barely three weeks. But I'm serious about us," he admitted. "I want you in my life and I want _us_ to work," he answered her sincerely. "So...just let me take care of you, okay?"

She blushed. "...what did I do to deserve you?" she whispered softly against his lips.

He smiled and held her close to him.

* * *

 **. . . . .**

Stella groaned and tossed from side to side, unable to bear this for much longer. She took deep breaths, but they didn't do anything to help her case.

"Stella! Can you give me my keys?! I need to head out!" she barely heard the voice screaming for her in the living room. Unshed tears marred her face. She bit her lips as she clutched the sheets tighter around her, trying to suppress this pain for as much as possible.

"STELLA!" she heard Brandon's voice again. "Woman, where the heck are you?!" he called for her again while looking around the house.

Stella heard thundering footsteps growing closer towards her room, but her senses were only concentrated towards the pain in her lower abdomen.

"Stella, what are you-" Brandon started as he stormed his way inside but stopped when he saw cover herself within a few blankets.

"Stel? Hey, what's wrong?" he quickly rushed to her side, but she refused to poke her head out.

"None of your business!" she croaked out, swallowing more pain. He rolled his eyes and within one sharp shove, he ripped the blanket from her grip. His eyes widened when he saw sweat trickling down her face. "What the hell?" he mumbled. His eyes laced into concern when he saw that her eyes were closed and her face contorted to one of pain. "Hey, what's wrong?" he gently asked while taking her into his arms.

"Nothing. I'm fine...Your k-keys," she breathed out painfully as she pointed towards her nightstand. He rolled his eyes. "Forget the damn keys. What's wrong with you? Is it a bad case of allergy again?"

She shook her head. Brandon slipped inside of the bed and joined her under the covers. "C'mon, tell me what's wrong?" he gently asked while panicking on the inside. He clutched her close and was a little surprised at Stella's death grip on him.

"Promise not to laugh...?" she asked in a small, scared voice.

 _What on earth?_ he thought at her height of stupidity. "Why would I laugh at your pain, sunshine?" he murmured as he kissed her temple.

"...c-c-cramps..." she answered him while clutching her stomach tightly. His eyes widened. Her forehead glistened slightly with sweat. "I get them each month..." she mumbled shyly, feeling embarrassment.

He gently took her face in his hands. "Are they always this painful?" he asked as his heart ached.

She nodded weakly and closed her eyes. He removed himself from her. He stood up and kissed her cheek softly. "I'll be right back, okay?"

"...please don't go..." she pleaded.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he assured her and kissed her once more before rushing out of the room.

 **. . . . .**

"Stell? Hey, wake up," he shook her gently. Her eyes fluttered open almost instantly at his smooth voice. He helped her sit up and his heart ached to see just how miserable she seemed right now.

"Huh...?" she murmured cluelessly as she rested against his body.

"Drink this," he placed a steaming cup near her lips.

Stella scrunched her nose. "What the hell is that?"

He chuckled. "Chamomile tea," he replied.

"You made this?"

He shrugged. "Flora taught me. She gets cramps often too. Stop wasting my time as well as yours and drink this up," he commanded. He helped her drink it with slow and steady sips.

 **. . . . .**

Brandon smiled when he saw her open her eyes. Stella rubbed her eyes, trying to adjust them to this light.

"Did I fall asleep?" she asked sleepily.

"For an hour," he answered. "Feel any better?" he asked.

Stella smiled weakly. "...thank you," she whispered while moving in to kiss him softly to which he eagerly responded.

 **. . . . .**

* * *

 **. . . . .**

"BRANDON SHIELDS, YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT, YOU HEAR ME?!" Stella yelled as she chased him out of the house. She followed the laughing idiot out to the large backyard with a spoon in her hand. Well, to be honest, it was a lame choice, but it was the only weapon she could find in such a short span.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" she yelled as she threw the spoon in his face. He dodged it effortlessly and chuckled.

"I was bored," he pathetically defended himself much to her chagrin.

She raised an eyebrow with a huff and looked down at her half-drenched attire. She had been taking a nice and warm afternoon nap in her room when he came out of nowhere and poured a bucket of cold water right there on her bed. She had woken up with screeching like a banshee, tumbling him into a dimension of laughs.

"YOU...!" she angrily yelled making half of him smile in amusement while the other cringed at this girl's anger. Maybe...he made a mistake of messing with this volatile woman.

He groaned when she suddenly launched herself into his arms, sending them both sprawling to the floor. Stella let out a scream. He wound his arms around her tightly, covering her from the fall. Brandon grunted as the semi-hard grassy land hit his back with a thudding force.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Stella's eyes widened as she shook him awake. "Are you okay?! Are you alive?!" she yelled in panic.

"Are you alive?! Girl, what the hell?!" he repeated her question in disbelief. "People don't die just because of one fall in the lawn, you idiot," he rolled his eyes.

She rolled her eyes and stared pointedly at him. "That's what you get for making me wet," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone while hitting his shoulder.

He wiggled his eyebrows a little and gave her a devilish smirk. "Did I now?"

Stella's eyes widened as she blushed furiously at the heavily suggestive statement. She hadn't realized that she said... _oh God._ He laughed at her bewildered face, enjoying her reactions to full extent. She buried her head into his shoulder in embarrassment while his chest rumbled with more laughter.

 **. . . . .**

* * *

 **. . . . .**

"Yes, okay. I know!" Stella sighed in annoyance. She gripped the spatula tightly and tried her best to follow his instructions.

Brandon chuckled at her futile attempts to flip a little chicken patty over. He placed his chin on top of her shoulder and placed occasionally light kisses along her collarbone.

"You doing that is _**not**_ helping me," she whined but didn't bother pushing him away. Well, for one, she didn't want him to go away. And second, he'd just crawl back to her even if she did somehow manage to push him away.

"Doing what, sunshine?" he whispered in ear earning a rosy bloom on her cheeks. "There's nothing wrong with showing my favorite blonde how much I adore her," he whispered, his lips gliding across her collarbone. Stella blushed an endearing red again. His touch sent warm shivers down her spine. His touch, although simple, set her body on fire.

Floating in total bliss, she forgot about the patty on the barbeque grill. Suddenly coming back to reality, she gasped as she hurried to flip it frantically.

"I can never understand how you claim that you can roast without knowing how to flip things over," he chuckled in amusement.

She scoffed. "That's because I typically roast on a flat pan. This is a barbeque! I never did barbequed anything! So far, three of my patties have fallen in between the grills and burnt themselves to death." He laughed at the huff of annoyance in her voice.

"Let me," he chuckled finally taking mercy on her and retrieving the spatula from her hand. An arm firmly stayed around her, however. "At this rate, you're going to burn all of our food."

"Well, excuse me for being a terrible cook," she bitterly muttered.

He simply chuckled. She wasn't a bad cook. In fact, he loved anything she made. It's just that she didn't know how to cook a vast variety of things. She knew everyday food recipes, but he was a versatile cook.

"Christmas is approaching," Stella blushed joyfully out of nowhere.

He smiled at her newfound euphoria. Thanksgiving was over just a few days ago and Christmas is due soon. Stella turned around, breaking his concentration from the barbeque.

"Any plans for Christmas?" she beamed while smiling brightly at him.

"Just you and me," he smirked.

She blushed heavily. "You do realize that's not proper, right? You should be with your parents to celebrate."

He kissed her forehead when he saw the light disappear from her beautiful eyes. "And you should be with me," he replied. "I'll never let you celebrate Christmas by yourself."

She beamed again, replacing the frown that was there moments ago. "Thank you," she murmured softly.

He kissed her briefly before turning his momentarily forgotten attention to the grill. To his surprise, the patty was burnt. Stella turned around wondering what spooked him. She started to laugh at the livid expression on his face.

"How can you roast while not knowing how to flip things over?" she mocked him, getting back for his earlier comment.

"NOT. ANOTHER. WORD," He growled as he tossed the burnt patty aside before setting fresh ones on the grill. She laughed again at his grumpiness. As anger as he may seem, it was beyond adorable and cute on him.

 **. . . . .**

* * *

 **. . . . .**

"Hey, Jay!" Stella squealed as she hugged her friend tightly. Jay chuckled as he twirled her around, earning squeals of happiness from her and a jealous pout from Brandon.

"Out of college, aren't you? Well, well, well, my Stella is growing up," Jay chuckled as he set her down.

"It's just winter break," Stella chuckled. Jay was like a brother she never had. Despite knowing him for only four months, they've grown quite close. The thing that she loved in Jay is his acute sense of humour and spontaneous adventure-like mind.

 _"MY STELLA?!"_ Brandon heatedly glared with crossed arms.

Jay winked. "No need to be jealous, Brandy. She will always come second. Right after you." Stella erupted into a fit of giggles while Brandon muttered how stupid and immature they both were. Stella tossed herself in Brandon's arms.

"Brand...lighten up," she beamed at him.

He rolled his eyes. "How am I supposed to do that when he's flirting with me right in front of you? Aren't you jealous?!" he said childishly.

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Should I be?"

Brandon's cheeks flushed just a little, clearly caught off guard. Jay took this opportunity to swing right over and wrap Brandon in a tight hug.

"Awwww, you poor thing. You just want some love, don't ya? Come on over tonight. I'll give you all the love you need," Jay smirked as he teased his friend endlessly.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?!" Brandon howled while pushing Jay away. Stella and Jay started to laugh at his flustered and bewildered face. Brandon shuddered not wanting to even entertain the possibility.

"Man, this bromance is just too much to handle," Stella dramatically clutched her heart with one hand and fanned herself with the other hand. Brandon shot her a glare but shook his head a few seconds later. He'll get her back for that when they're _alone._

Jay stopped and sat back down in the living room and Brandon soon joined him. "So...you guys heading back to New York tonight for Christmas?"

Stella frowned, sitting beside Jay. "You're not coming?"

Jay smiled. "I have work, Stella bear. But don't worry. I'll join you in a few days."

"Okay," she merely responded.

 **. . . . .**

* * *

 **~ That Same Day (or night, rather)- 1:30 AM ~**

Brandon yawned lightly as he pulled into the familiar driveway of _their_ home. He unbuckled his seat belt and to his not-so-much surprise, he watched Stella quietly sleeping. He smiled before getting out of the car. He stretched and rolled back his shoulders before going over to Stella's side.

He opened her side of the door. He leaned to unbuckle her seat belt. He didn't have the heart to wake her up. He hooked an arm under her knees and another around her upper back. He gently cradled her against him before before making his way towards the house. He decided to leave the luggage inside the trunk for now. They can get their stuff tomorrow. He squirmly slightly and tried to unlock the front door without waking her up.

Luckily for him, she was a bit of a heavy sleeper sometimes and didn't even stir. _Yes!_ he mentally cheered when the door clicked open. Even he was a bit tired although it wasn't a long drive. He shut the door behind him and went straight for her room. He pulled the sheets he used to cover the furniture with before gently setting her down on the mattress.

He chuckled when he remembered how she made a hissy fit a few hours ago saying that she felt like travelling in only her pajamas. He stroked her face lightly before pulling the soft covers over her and tucking her in. He frowned a second later.

After being deserted for nearly four months, this house felt a little stuffy. He moved to open the windows and let some fresh air in.

He neared her again. He bent and kissed her forehead. _"Good night, princess,"_ he whispered.

After watching her for a few more minutes, he calmly left the room without another word.

* * *

 **...**

So you must all be wondering if I was drunk or something while writing this chappie.

Those snippets that you guys read in between were just some of the experiences between Stella and Brandon while they lived in New Jersey. And now they're back to NYC to face some more drama.

 **...**

 **Um...if you didn't li** **ke this chapter or if it wasn't to your expections...I'm sorry. I have a little emergency in my life that I need to worry about. So...yeah, that's it.**

 **Oh wait!**

 **One of you asked me to insert a sentence giving information about my next update. Next update will be in about 2-4 days. Maybe by Thursday...? Or end of this week.**

 _ **Thank you for reading :)**_


	18. Teach Me How To Dance

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Thank you everybody for your continued support!**

 _ **Dearest AmethystPower,**_

You're such a joy to talk to! This chapter is especially dedicated to you because you helped me write it! I love your writing and I love your ideas! Can't wait for the day you actually post your story! :)!

 _ **Enjoy...!**_

* * *

 **~ 9:30 AM ~**

Stella wobbled out of her room with sleep-filled eyes. She yawned and stretched with a groan escaping from her lips. She suddenly felt a rush of cold air and hugged herself tightly. _Whaaa...? Ohhhhhhh._ She seriously forgot how cold New York could get. She's never experienced a wintry Manhattan before, but who doesn't know of the frigid temperatures in one of the busiest cities in the States? She crawled back to her room and threw on an oversized sweater that grazed her just below her hips.

"Brandon?" she called out knowing he would be awake by now. She's the one who always slept like a lazy oaf.

Scratching her head at the silence, she yawned as she went straight for his room. Her teeth immediately started to chatter when she opened the door to his room.

"What the heck?!" she mumbled at the cold air in his room. Oh. She knew that he loved the cold, but setting the air conditioner on even during the time of peak winter was just taking it way too far. Especially when there's someone living with him who _despised_ the cold.

She ran into his room and immediately turned the stupid AC off. She ignored the air kissing her exposed skin. She needs to give this man a piece of her mind.

A soft click of a door redirected her attention. Her eyes darted towards the sound, looking curiously. A moment later, Brandon stepped out of his walk-in closet in a comfortable pair of sweats and sweatshirt. He looked showered judging his damp, dark brown hair, which appeared even darker at the moment.

He looked up and instantly smiled warmly at her that sent soft tingles till her toes, warming her instantly. "Hey," he walked towards her and took her in his arms. Stella blushed. _Now this was what she'd call a morning greeting._

"You're up," he kissed her forehead. "Stell...we need to talk."

Stella's eyes widened. Before she could filter her next words, she instantly blurted, "Are you going to break up with me?"

He raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Excuse me?"

"...those four words always mean that a breakup is going to result later."

He stared pointedly at her before chuckling. "You've been watching way too much sap these days. No, I'm not breaking up with you."

"Okay," she exclaimed cheerfully. Smiling, she stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "So...Merry Christmas," she said smiling with her eyes twinkling.

"Christmas isn't for another ten days," he remarked with amusement.

"What are you getting for me?" she asked while jumping up and down with excitement. He laughed at her joy. "What do you want?" he smiled.

She thought for a moment. "...can I ask for anything?" she asked smiling.

"Except for a trip to craziness, yes. You can ask for anything," Brandon smirked. He watched bite her lip as she thought. His eyes darkened when he saw her chewing on her lower lip. He reached up and freed her lip with his thumb before kissing her briefly. _"Don't,"_ he whispered against her lips after pulling away.

"Huh?" she asked cluelessly, dazed by the sudden burst of emotion.

 _"Don't bite your lip._ I'll lose control," he warned with darkened eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw him watching her intensely. He continued in a husky whisper, "And with me...that's not a chance you should risk taking." His lips slowly upturned into a smirk that left her blushing like a tomato.

"So...what do you want for Christmas?" he asked, effectively changing the topic and making the conversation a little more light-hearted.

"Um..." she pathetically tried to get out of her blushing phase. "...Oh."

He chuckled at her disoriented senses. He kissed her forehead. "I was just teasing you, Stell. I would never lose any control especially when I'm with you," he said sincerely, meaning every word. _Maybe except the first sentence._ That was in no way a tease. He felt a momentary desire for her, but it disappeared just as quickly it had erupted. He'd never slip with her. He'd never jeopardize anything with her. She was just too precious for him to make a dumb and regretful move like that.

* * *

 **~ 10:30 AM ~**

"Technically, this is a brunch," Stella stated as she munched on the pancakes made especially for her.

He rolled his eyes while flipping the pancakes on the stove. "As if that's gonna stop you. You'll be ready to resemble a pig in less than an hour."

She grinned not at all offended. "You know me so well," she replied while kissing his cheek.

He rolled his eyes again while tossing another pancake on her plate. "I can't believe I'm cooking for you," he muttered.

"Do you know that a man who can cook is attractive?" Stella smirked slightly as she ate. _Mmmm._ _This is heaven._ "Besides, you stole my food plenty of times before! And I cook for you every damn day!"

He raised an eyebrow and stared at her. "For the record, you only cooked so I'll be the one stuck with washing the dishes." He turned off the stove as he tossed her the last set of pancakes.

She grinned like a Cheshire cat again. "Like I said...you know me so well," she hummed as she happily gulped down another bite.

He smirked, "But you don't know me that well." Stella squealed when he lunged for her. She stepped back just in the nick of time. She dashed out of the kitchen while not forgetting to carry her plate. A girl can't forget her food. Stella escaped to the living room with Brandon hotly in tow.

She let out a surprised yelp when he grabbed her from behind. Her hands were too occupied to defend herself. He sat on the couch beside him and pulled him onto his lap.

"When will girls _ever_ learn that men are faster than them?" he smirked. She pouted while continuing to eat. "In our defense, you have longer legs than we do," Stella stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Excuses!" he snapped while still smiling in amusement.

She offered him a piece of a pancake and he shook his head. She jiggled the piece in front of his face with a pout, forcing him to open his mouth. She smiled in satisfaction while he stared at her with annoyance.

"Wait. Didn't you say that we needed to talk?" Stella asked him while eating.

He stroked her hair and placed a few loose blonde locks behind her ear. "Remember when I told you that I'm the heir to my parents' company..."

Stella stopped eating and stared at him with wide eyes. Of course she remembered. "Is everything okay...?" she asked nervously.

He smiled at her concern, while kissing her cheek. "Everything's fine. So, every year...there's a Christmas gala that's hosted by us dedicated to every employee."

"That's so sweet!" she beamed but also looked at him confused, wondering why he was telling her this.

"The gala will last about three days," he explained.

"Um...am I supposed to input something in here?" Stella asked.

He smirked. "Yeah. You just need to free yourself from anything important on those dates."

"Huh?"

"It means that I'm taking you with me," he rolled his eyes, making her eyes pop open.

"EXCUSE ME?!" she exclaimed in a shrilly voice. "Uh uh nope. I'm not going. End of story. Nope. Uh uh," Stella refused profusely, lifting herself off of him.

"Stella, come on!" Brandon stood up and followed her. "Are you seriously rejecting me to a dance?"

"Yes. I don't do high profile dance balls. Even...if I do get a chance to go with you," she snapped, storming over to the kitchen and tossing her plate in the sink. She washed it and ignored his pleas. Placing the plate in the dishwasher, she slammed the door shut before turning around.

She let out a small 'oof' while crashing into him, not realizing that he was right behind her. He supported her by holding her shoulders firmly.

"C'mon, Stell...just a dance?" he pleaded.

Stella shook her head in amusement. "Puppy dog eyes. Yup, now I've seen everything."

He pushed against the counter and pressed himself against her. She bit the inside of her cheek to suppress a moan that nearly escaped her lips. "Watch it, sunshine. I'm more than capable of dragging you to the dance."

She pouted. "But I don't want to go!" Stella whined. "I don't know anyone."

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Stella, you're the worst liar I've _ever_ seen in my life and that's saying something. You and I both know that's a load of bullshit and that's not the real reason."

"No, it is," she averted her eyes while crossing her arms.

"Besides, you know me there," he smirked.

She glared at his smartass answer.

"Please?" he pleaded once more while kissing her forehead. Stella felt herself melt against his touch. She frowned and mentally glared at her body for betraying her. "At least give me one good reason why you don't want to go. And I'll never ask you again," he smirked at her succummbing towards him. If it's this easy to make her melt, she hasn't seen anything yet.

"I'll have my period on that day!" Stella accidentally blurted out making him look at her with amusement. She covered her mouth as a wave of embarrassment washed over her. There are thousand other pathetic excuses she can think of, but she had to blurt out one about a woman's hygiene? She buried her head in his chest, which roared with his laughs.

"Please stop laughing," she mumbled feeling stupid.

He chuckled once more and lifted her head up. "Of all the excuses you can think of, it had to be this one?" he smirked while caressing her reddening face.

"..."

"Tell me what's really wrong," he chuckled again.

Stella sighed. "...I don't want you to be embarrassed of me..." she looked at her toes feeling embarrassed. His eyes widened at her reluctant admittance.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"...I'll embarrass you and...I don't want to do that..." she still looked at the floor, suddenly finding it very interesting.

He lifted her chin with his finger and commanded her to look at him. He spoke in such an authoritative voice that she didn't dare to disobey him. "I really hope you'll say that is just one of your excuses because it's not that funny," he said gently. "Why would I ever be embarrassed because of you?"

"...um because you're smarter than me and I can be a klutz sometimes. Correction. _All the time."_

He agreed with most of that except her stupid comparison to their levels of intelligence.

He wrapped her into a tight bear hug, not knowing what to say. To say that he was surprised to hear her insecurity...was a little too shocking. "I wouldn't have _ever_ asked you if that was the case. In fact, you'd embarrass me by not coming with me," he smiled.

"Huh?"

"You see...if I go alone without my _wife,_ people are gonna think we're heading for a divorce," he smirked. Stella's eyes widened as she began to endlessly blush at the word _'wife'._ "And that's not a good reputation for our business, you know. And the media will do anything to highlight that and decrease our brand's value."

"...Either that or..." he smirked.

"...or what?" she asked feeling a little nervous at his smirk. She honestly didn't want to know because she was sure that she'd resemble a tomato at his choice of wording.

He moved his lips to her ear, placing light kisses along her jawline on the way. "...or...," he drawled lazily. "You're pregnant," he finished with a victorious smirk earning a gasp from her and a ton other crimson blushes on her face. Stella buried her head in his chest as she flushed with crimson while ignoring his amused laughter. _God, she hated his guy._

"S-stop!" she pleaded to stop laughing while hitting him at the same time.

"Sorry, beautiful, but I couldn't resist," he chuckled.

He lifted her face from him once again. "So...come with me?" he asked charmingly.

"...I don't have a dress," she tried again pathetically.

"I'll take you to shopping right now," he smirked earning a pointed glare from her.

"I can't dance," she whined.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll teach you in time," he smirked.

"Brandon!" she snapped.

"Stella!" he smirked mocking her. "Stella, I really don't want my ears to bleed at your heights of pathetic excuses. So, you're coming with me whether you like it or not," he commanded with authority.

She sighed sadly.

His dark eyes softened at seeing her sad face. "Hey...if you're really not comfortable, then we'll leave soon."

"Really?" she beamed.

"Of course. I just want one chance to dance with you and show you off," he smiled. Stella blushed _again for the hundredth time_ endearingly.

"I meant what I said. I can't dance. So I'd be stomping all over your feet," she blushed.

"...Then let's get to business," he smirked as he took her hands in his.

* * *

 **~ 1:30 PM ~**

"STELLA!" Brandon yelled out of frustration. She winced at his tone before shrugging. "I did warn you, okay?! I really _can't_ dance."

"Dancing does _not_ involve kicking people and knocking them over!" Brandon glared at the woman on top of him. "It was an accident, okay?!" she defended herself while hoisting herself up. He rolled his eyes as he, too, got up from the floor and dusted himself off.

He rolled back his stiff shoulders while shooting a small glare towards her. "I need a five. My back is definitely bruised," he muttered while rubbing his lightly sore back.

"Already?" she cluelessly scratched her head.

He stared at her for a moment wondering if she's really stupid or just innocently naive. "My body is the one getting kissed by the floor. And that was the twelfth fall in the last thirty minutes," he remarked with an edge in his voice.

She smiled sheepishly. "...oh. You kept count?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course I did. It's not everyday you see someone fall while dancing."

"Sorry," she blushed.

He sighed. "Let's try again. I'm thinking you're doing it on purpose just to avoid this thing altogether."

"Tempting, but I have not!"

"Well, whatever the case is, you're lucky you didn't twist your ankle," he snapped referring to his own body weight compared to hers.

"Alright! Let's go again," he ordered loudly while grabbing her again and crushed her against him.

"Brandon, I'm tired! Can't we do something else?" she whined.

He sighed in exasperation. Today was _not_ his day. _Clearly not._ "You have two minutes to do whatever you want," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh gee thanks," she muttered sarcastically.

She wanted to actually...go to Brandon's parents' house. But she was scared to go. She didn't forget the nervousness and terror she felt the last time she was there.

Brandon raised an eyebrow when he saw Stella staring at him quietly with a deep expression on her face. "What?" he asked.

"Why don't you like your dad?" she asked him softly.

Stella regretted her words immediately when the smile on Brandon's dropped. She gulped nervously when she saw his face harden into one of fury. His jaw clenched. He let her go with a soft shove and turned around. Stella looked down at his sides, where his fists were tightly clenched.

"I need to head to work," he stated in a hardened and cold voice before taking off. Stella watched him sadly as he retreated from her line of sight. _Why would you need to work on a Sunday?_ Stella winced as tears welled up in her eyes. Did she go too far? She just wanted to...know. Isn't she closer to him now? Didn't he trust her anymore? Or maybe he thought she was prying too much now.

* * *

 **~ Shields Corporations - Top Floor - Office - 3:15 PM ~**

Brandon typed on his laptop seriously. He chose not to let his brain wander off. _Not even the slightest bit._ Because if he did that, then...he would find himself softening. He didn't build unpenetrable steely walls around his heart so that a woman can peek inside his years' worth of pain effortlessly.

His face contorted to one of a testy irritation as he struggled not to lose it. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He sighed.

"Come in," he called out.

The door opened, revealing one of his receptionists. "Mr. Shields, Ms. Flora Shields is here," she said.

Brandon's eyes widened as he stood up. "Send her in immediately," he ordered.

She nodded and left. Moments later, a calm and beautiful brunette entered through the doors. Brandon smiled as he waltzed towards his younger sister.

"Hey, bro," Flora stretched her arms as she greeted him with a smile.

"Heya, sis," Brandon grinned, wrapping her in a bear hug. "When'd you get back?! How come you didn't tell me?! And what the hell is this about asking the receptionist for permission?!"

Flora smiled and sat down in the leather chairs with a flop. "Just an hour ago. I came here straight from the airport. I can't miss you guys for Christmas! Anyways, that woman said that you didn't want any unappointed persons to enter through that door."

Brandon frowned. "I wasn't talking about you. She's fired," he glared nodding at the door.

Flora slapped his knee. "Don't you dare! She was just doing her job."

He smiled and took in her appearance. Her long, caramel-colored hair hung lushfully past her waist with blonde bangs gently framing her heart-shaped face. Her jade green eyes sparkled with happiness and joy. She donned a baby pink flowery sundress. She radiated and gleamed with an aura of confidence.

"You look great," he complimented with a smirk, giving her his approval. "Does Helia have anything to do with this?

Flora's eyes widened and she, for a moment, looked like a deer caught in headlights. She blushed. _"Well..."_

* * *

 **~ Brandon's Parents' House - 3:45 PM ~**

"Heather!" Stella burst into a peels of laughter while pushing Heather away from the stove. The older woman, too, laughed along with the blonde.

"That was sooooo not how it was supposed to go!" Stella burst into a fit of giggles. Heather chuckled and they both eyed the mush in front of them like an alien object. They were both in the kitchen. Stella asked for Heather's help for Brandon's favorite recipe. Except...they both didn't know how to master it that well without the help of a cookbook.

"How can you not know how to cook it when it's your son's favorite?!" Stella shook her head in amusement while picking up the burnt mush and throwing it in the trashcan. "How can you not know your man's favorite dish when you're in a relationship with him?!" Heather retorted.

"Touche..." Stella grinned. "Although in my defense, there isn't anything that he doesn't gorge down."

Heather laughed. "Amen. Men are kind of funny that way. So where exactly is this rush of love coming from? Not that there's anything wrong with that."

And that was all it took to wipe the wide smile off of Stella's face. She sighed a little sadly. "We had a fight...and he's kind of not lifting my calls. I need to apologize...even though I'm not sure what I did wrong."

Heather shook her head. "I need to talk to that arrogant pothead."

Stella burst out laughing. It was heartwarming to know how much Heather reminded Stella of her own mother. Heather had a sense of humor, she bashed everyone with silly and hilarious nicknames, and she cooks well. Ahh, what more could any daughter-in-law want from her mother-in-law?

A doorbell interrupted their session.

Stella smiled. "I'll open it." Heather nodded.

The blonde stretched her shoulders as she walked back to the living room. Honestly, a walk around this house is enough to burn off extra fat. Stella opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw who it is.

"Flora?!" Stella exclaimed in astonishment.

"Stella!" Flora grinned as she hugged the blonde.

"Hey! When did you come back?"

"Ugh. Don't ask. I'm honestly fed up of my brother right now and I need to blow off some steam."

Stella chuckled. "How about you help us in the kitchen? Heather and I are kind of pissed off at him too."

"Let's go," Flora smiled as they both walked arm-in-arm to the kitchen.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - Top Floor - Office - 4:30 PM ~**

Stella took a deep breath and adjusted her shirt a little. She stepped foot inside the large building and felt a little overwhelmed at seeing a bunch of employees wearing either suits or formal dresses. _Wow..._

Stella turned her composure into one of indifference. She assumed an air of confidence and calmly walked towards the reception. Her black heels clicked against the marble tiles, giving her a boost of confidence. She didn't know why but wearing heels always gave her that extra sense of confidence she needed every once in a while. She didn't particularly wear heels every day. It was just on occasions.

And _today_ can certainly be categorized as an exception.

"Excuse me?" Stella addressed the counter, which had two busy receptionists talking on two phones at the same time and one typed away furiously on the computer in front of her.

The free woman looked up. "Yes?"

"I'm looking for Mr. Shields," Stella stated in a matter-of-fact tone. She knew she can't be timid no matter how she felt like peeing in her pants right now.

"Mr. Shields is in a meeting right now. Do you have an appointment?" the lady asked.

"I'm aware that he's in a meeting and I didn't know Mr. Shields' wife needed an appointment to see him," Stella smiled.

The lady's eyes widened and so did the other two's. The three immediately stood up, dropping all of their work. "Ma'am, we're so sorry-"

Stella smiled. "Oh no, it's perfectly fine."

"Mr. Shields is on thirty-third floor. If you like, you can wait in his office," one of them spoke.

The blonde nodded. "Thank you. And please. Call me Stella," Stella smiled as she walked past them, leaving the receptionists as well as some of the onlookers to look at her in astonishment. Truth be told, they knew that their boss was married in a _very_ private affair. Hell, the consequences of his marriage catapulted their whole company to the forefront due to fantastic ratings.

But what they didn't know or expect was how down-to-earth Mr. Shields's wife seemed to be. Not only that, she was gorgeous. There was barely any makeup on her face except for the minimal hints. Clearly, she didn't need any. Who, in this generation, gets married to a rich man and doesn't act all snobbish?

Stella stepped into the elevator and pressed on the button leading to the thirty-third floor. She patiently waited and silently hoped for the elevator to go up slowly. She felt nervous and her skin started to tingle. She missed him already. But then again, she didn't forget how he forged his face into one of an angry beast. _Hopefully,_ he forgot about it by now.

Stella's heart jolted when a voice beeped through the elevator's intercom saying that it has reached the thirty-third floor. _Here goes nothing..._

She took a deep breath and stepped through the metal doors. She momentarily stopped in her tracks, unable to take in the sophisticated grandeur of this place. It seemed that people here were still extremely busy judging by how they were rushing past her with one phone in their ears and another in their hands. _Wow..._ she looked around in awe.

She uttered a low groan when she saw another reception. _What the heck? Oh whatever._ She didn't know how things worked around here.

"Excuse me, which way is it to Mr. Shields's office?" Stella asked as she approached the reception. Her stance faltered when she saw two girls eyeing openly with disgust and horror. One of them had platinum-blonde hair with brown eyes and the other had raven-black hair with midnight blue eyes. Both had cakes of makeup on.

"Mr. Shields doesn't see anyone without an appointment," the fake blonde answered.

Stella crossed her arms and suppressed a glare. _I need to have a word with Brandon about his choice of hiring slutty looking girls to sit at the reception._ "He _will_ see me, so if I were you, you'd tell me where his office is."

The fake black haired girl also rolled her eyes. "He's in a meeting."

" _Which_ will end in a few minutes, but that doesn't answer my question. _Where is Brandon Shields's office?"_ Stella asked with a pointed glare. "Or would you like me to report to him that his wife is being treated disrespectfully here?"

Both of their eyes widened. _Good, they should._ Without another word, they pointed towards a paper. "Please sign here," the fake blonde shakily spoke. Stella read their name cards. Fake blonde was Diaspro Something and the other was Chimera Whatever. She couldn't care less about their last names. Both of their first names were unique enough. Stella signed the paper. They took it and pointed to their left wordlessly.

Stella let out a small huff and took off in that direction. They better not lie. She eyed the names on each of the doors and kept walking as none matched what she was looking for. She started to blush immensely all of a sudden when she realized that she referred to herself as Brandon's _wife._ It still seemed so surreal. They never acted like a married couple.

Well...Stella certainly didn't mind if it escalated to that level, but to be honest, they were still young. She was only twenty-one and Brandon was twenty-three. They were too young to get married. Right now, both of them pretended like the whole wedding never even happened and acted like boyfriend and girlfriend.

Stella's eyes lit up when she reached an office that instantly caught her eye. The doors were different than the rest of the doors she had passed. Brandon's office had black polished doors while the others had grayish tinge to them.

Stella hoped that he's still not mad at her. She placed a shaking hand on the knob and to her not-so-much surprise, it was locked.

 _Might as well wait._

"Stella?"

Stella turned around when she heard her name being called. Her eyes widened when she saw it was other than-

"Lucas!" she exclaimed as she hugged Brandon's dad.

Lucas smiled warmly. "I'm assuming you're here for my son. While that's great and touching, it's a little hurting to say that you haven't paid me a visit."

Stella chuckled. "We just landed here last night. And I was with Heather for the past few hours. Where have you been?!"

He sighed in frustration. "I swear I need to retire," he muttered making Stella laugh. "How about we go to my office? You can wait while Brandon finishes his meeting."

Stella nodded and followed Lucas.

* * *

 **~ 5:00 PM ~**

Brandon placed a hand in his pocket while another checked his phone. He sighed when he saw three missed calls from Stella. He really needs to talk to her. He didn't like the way he stormed out of the house while leaving her behind hurt. Why did she have to ruin his mood?! Why did she have to make him run away?!

Sighing, he neared his office and opened it with his keys. Groaning, he unbuttoned his jacket and loosened his tie. He rolled the sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt till his elbows, which showed off his muscular arms. He sat in his chair and placed his suit jacket on the hand rest. He toyed with his phone, wondering whether or not to call Stella.

He pressed the intercom button.

"Yes, Mr. Shields?" a sickly sweet voice spoke from the other end, irritating Brandon. He rolled his eyes, ignoring the mildly seductive tone. He's not stupid or oblivious. He knew he had the effect he had on women _and_ men. While many women threw themselves at his feet, men took his orders.

"Cancel all of my appointments for today and don't let anyone enter this room," he commanded.

"Yes, sir. Of course."

He had spent the last two hours thinking of _**her**_ no matter how many times he scolded himself not to get diverted. And now, that clumsy klutz who knocks people over and spills coffee is invading his mind. He chuckled when he remembered how he first met her. He suppressed a smile when her smiling face popped into his mind. He threw his head back and rested it on the flexible chair and rotated slowly.

Making up his mind, he finally mustered the courage to call her. He placed the phone on speaker and allowed it to ring.

His eyes narrowed when there was _no_ response.

He really hoped that she was just being childish and not picking up the phone. Otherwise, he'd give her a piece of mind for making him worry sick-

A knock on the door interrupted his mental rant. His eyes narrowed. Didn't he just say that he wanted some peace like ten seconds ago? Finally. He finally had an excuse to fire the fake receptionists in the front.

He was about to press the intercom to give them each a piece of his mind when his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when a head stuck inside the door.

 _"Stella?"_ he whispered in shock.

Stella grinned as she opened the door and closed it behind her. "Hi," she waved. She shifted from one foot to another nervously when she saw his eyes unblinkingly watching her. Brandon's eyes darted up and down her figure subtly. Her choice of attire was _extremely_ flatteringto the point where it's nearly dangerous to her. She wore a dress shirt and black formals, both of whom which showed off her slender and tall figure. He rolled his sleeves and stood up immediately.

Stella found herself unable to look away. He looked _hot_ whilewearing formals. Sure, she saw him in semi-formals and casual wear before and he always managed to look good at that, but this was a whole new level. She can't imagine how handsome he'd appear in a tuxedo.

Stella stood rooted to the spot when Brandon walked predatorily towards her. "I-" she managed to squeak before she was enveloped in his arms. She felt a whiff of an intoxicating cologne fill her nostrils. It smelled of an earthy and woody theme, _something that she absolutely loved._ He always smelled of a divine sandalwood, an another something that drove her to La-La land.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ears.

"...me too..." she murmured into his shirt. "I'm sorry. I should've known," she said sincerely.

Brandon stroked her hair and hugged her close. "I'm so glad you're here, but I'm also scared of what damage you might've caused on your way here," he smirked.

Stella laughed. "Well..."

He paled and pulled her back, staring at her in horror. "Stella!"

"Umm...it's not my fault that I didn't know where your room was!" she defended herself. "I had to introduce myself as your wife to gain access," she blushed while looking away. "Sorry about that, by the way..."

He smirked amused. "What'd you say?" he whispered, leaning closer to her.

"You heard what I said," she said stubbornly while refusing to say it again.

He chuckled and kissed her briefly. "So...how'd you get here?" he asked casually while gesturing her to a sofa.

"I walked," she said simply.

Brandon's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Stella replied and rolled her eyes. "Are you deaf? I W-A-L-K-E-D."

He rolled his eyes at her smartass answer for a moment before frowning. "Stella, are you insane?! Don't you know how dangerous that was?!"

"Chill. I only walked from the bus stop."

"Whatever! The bus stop is at least two miles away!"

She shrugged. "Which was a thirty minute brisk walk for someone like me. Oh wait. Here," she said as she shoved a maroon cover in his arms.

"What's this?" he asked as he peered inside. A delectable aroma filled his nose and he looked at her in surprise. She bit her lip. "Um...I was gonna use that as an apology in case you were still angry," she admitted sheepishly. He chuckled, remembering he had done that once.

He opened the hot box. His eyes widened slightly when he saw one of his favorites sitting inside. "It's um...spicy chicken cordon bleu or at least...it was supposed to be, I think?" she scratched her head trying to make sure.

"You made this?" he asked in disbelief. He was touched that she cooked just for him.

"Um...not alone? Um...I asked Heather for help because I didn't know how to do that," she admitted. "You better eat it anyway because this was the fifth try. So I'm exhausted working the last four hours trying to appease you," she yawned.

"Thank you," he murmured and kissed her forehead.

She blushed. He ate a piece with a fork and his eyes widened a little. It was literally the best thing he ever ate. Maybe because... _Stella prepared it for him._

"Um..."

Brandon turned to her and watched her bite her lip nervously.

"Can I eat with you? I'm starving," she blushed with embarrassment.

He laughed and pulled her onto his lap. "You never cease to amaze me, Mrs. Shields," he chuckled into her hair. Stella grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled in bliss as he fed her every other spoon.

 _"Neither do you, Mr. Shields,"_ she whispered into his collarbone, making him smile.

* * *

 **~ 5:30 PM ~**

"I'll see you at home," Stella smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Stella, you're a fool to think that I'd _ever_ let you walk alone in this cold."

"I'll be fine," she brushed him off and hugged him tightly. "Just...please don't be mad at me anymore."

He hugged her back and stroked her hair. "I'm not, princess. I'm not," he smiled while pulling away. "Call me, okay? I'll be there within an hour." She nodded and opened the door to go out. Brandon's heart skipped a few beats when she waved to him with a mesmerizing smile on her face. _Damn._

* * *

 **~ 5:40 PM ~**

Brandon looked out the transparent glass windows of his office. Even though he's on the thirty-third floor, he can still see humans down there. While he may not be able to make out a person's face, he can still recognize him/her, right? Then where the heck is Stella? His eyes glanced around curiously down below, searching for the golden hair and the outfit she wore.

Brandon's eyes suddenly widened when he saw a familiar car pull out of the parking lot. It was his...mom's. He tried to get a view inside, only to glare when he saw Stella sitting inside of it on the driver's side.

 _Why you...!_ he huffed in amusement.

* * *

 **~ Later That Same Night - 6:30 PM ~**

"STELLA!" Brandon called out as he entered through the doors.

"Hey, you're back!" he heard her hop into the living room with a bright smile on her face.

"So...how'd you get back?" he asked casually. She took his bag and replied. "Um...the same way I came to you?" She bit her lip. It wasn't a complete lie...

He crossed his arms. "You mean in a _car?!"_

Her eyes widened. "Well..." she blushed. "Um...I thought you were mad at me, so I used the damsel-in-distress excuse..."

He shook his head. "You are utterly unbelievable. Honestly. You make me sound like I'm a monster."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Maybe but you're the only monster that _I_ have eyes for," she admitted, making him capture her lips instantly.

* * *

 **~ 8:30 PM ~**

A soft and romantic rhythm started to play from the speakers. The house was filled with a beautiful ambience instantly.

"Milady," Brandon stretched his hand with a charming smile and Stella took it with a blush.

"You won't yell at me if I accidentally end up kicking you again, will you?" she asked while smiling.

He smirked. "Depends on how many times you knock me over."

She groaned. "I give up! I'm never going to learn this. For the record, I really don't feel like making a fool of myself, _thank you very much!_ "

He smirked. "You're not going to change my mind, so don't even _bother_ trying."

She huffed.

"Just trust me, okay?" he said softly, noticing her racing nerves. He could tell that she wasn't too pleased about this, but he had been looking forward to this for _months._ One of the reasons is that...he just wanted to have an exotic night filled with festivities with _her._ And second...being alone on Christmas will just remind her of what she had once lost. He never wanted to see tears in her beautiful eyes again. She already cried her fill for the rest of this life seven months ago.

He wrapped a gentle, yet firm arm around her waist while another interwined with her hand. Stella shakily placed her free hand on his shoulder. _Oh boy._

"Okay," she breathed getting into position. "What now? Ugh ballroom dancing is so hard."

He chuckled. "Not really. Can you dance in a club?"

"I've never been to a club," she frowned. He shook his head. Duh. Of course he knew that. _And he liked it._ "I meant, can you dance to fast stream songs?"

She nodded. "I guess so?"

"Dancing in a gala is a thousand times slower than that," he smirked.

"Whatever! This is just too hard," she whined.

"Remember what I taught you and uh...put in just a _little_ effort, will you?" he grimaced remembering his poor back from this morning. She punched his shoulder at that and he glared. "Why? Haven't you abused me enough already?"

"Fine, okay. Whatever," she mumbled.

"Stop looking at your toes or wherever else," he said softly. "Look at _me._ "

Stella blushed and shakily looked up. Her heart started to race when he captured her with his molten brown orbs. His face appeared so loving and warm that she found herself melting in his arms. They swayed to the soft music. Stella merely followed his lead without putting in much effort.

And... _that cost him._

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed when she saw him frown.

He shook his head. "Well, considering you just _stomped_ on me as opposed to knocking me, I'd say this is a _major_ improvement."

Stella blushed. She took another step the wrong way, apparently, and squeaked when she slipped. Brandon grunted when he found himself losing balance as well.

 _ **A minute later...**_

"I give up," an annoyed voice boomed off the walls. "Guess I spoke too soon," Brandon muttered. Stella peeked open her eyes and lifted her head. She yawned, "Can't we do something else?"

He looked at her calmly. His fingers traced small circles on her back absentmindedly while she lay on top of him. "I'll take you shopping tomorrow," he clutched her tightly.

She shook her head. "Uh uh no, you won't."

He raised an eyebrow.

"How can I make you breathless if you're going to see my dress beforehand?" she smiled.

He chuckled.

"Besides, you'll pay for me if we go together and I don't want that," she frowned disapprovingly.

"We'll see," he smiled racking a plan in his mind already.

"Hey um...Brand..." she started. "Is Flora going to come?"

He nodded. "Of course she will," he smiled.

Her eyes lit up. _Probably at the prospect of knowing someone else other than him._

"Do you want to invite someone?" he asked.

"Can I?"

"Of course you can. This isn't just an evening for employees. Everyone is invited," Brandon reassured her.

"Thank you," she smiled happily.

He gazed at her beautiful face and wondered how could anyone be this _gorgeous._ Her smile always blew his breath away and her laughter was a soft and beautiful melody in his ears.

Brandon's lips upturned into a small smile as he continued to watch her with affectionate eyes.

 _I finally got you back._

* * *

 ***Panting* Phew. That took me...uh...4 hours to type. Yup.**

 **So um, please read and review! My fingers and I will surely appreciate it :) Thank you!**


	19. Gala Night

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB. And I hate this disclaimer.** _ **Ugh.**_

 **I'm seriously in love with each one of you guys! How can everyone be so sweet?! :)**

I have ONE thing to tell all of you, so _**please read this:**_

If you have _**any**_ suggestions/feedback on ways I can improve myself (or this story), I'd LOVE to hear about them! I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this story (honestly, I didn't expect this much love :3). So, if you point something out, please don't hesitate to do so :)

 **Moving on...**

 _ **Dear reviewers:**_

 **Chelsea:** Hey! I have no idea why the server is doing that to cause you the problems. _Personally,_ I think FanFiction is _**drunk**_ at the moment, so that's probably why. Don't worry! I'm sure the admins are working to resolve the issue soon :) And thank you so much, Chelsea! I'm glad you enjoy them :)

 **ekatykat8:** You're so sweet! A HUGE HUG to you from me!

 **lifeasmarah:** Hehe, keep that heart intact because there are still more chapters coming up ;)

 **tulipblossom:** Ahh, another one of my favorite reviewers :) The story may be amazing, but you're even more amazing in person :)

 **kanishka1:** Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed :)

 **Guest:** I hope I'm referring to the same person because there are so many reviews with that penname. Anyways! Thank you so much!

 **Login:** Thank you!

 **Brella:** Thank you so much!

 **Anna Stone (blazingstar99):** Thank you soooooooooooooo much for your love and support! It's so great and hilarious to talk to you :)!

 **AmethystPower:** It's soooo great to talk to you too! You're a total joy to talk to! Feel free to PM anytime you need help :)!

 **I'm terribly sorry if I missed anyone, but your review does have a special place in my heart! Thank you!**

 **Moving on!** _ **Enjoy (I hope)!**_

* * *

 _ **3-4 days later...**_

 **~ 10:30 AM ~**

 **Stella's POV:**

"Wow!" I breathed as I entered the luxurious store. I covered my ears when I heard five similar high-pitched excited squeals from beside me. _Honestly._ We girls never change. I grinned as we entered the opulently extravagrant store.

When Brandon (**insert a swoon moment right... _here_ **) told me that I'm free to invite whomever I want, I immediately invited Musa, Layla, and even Bloom and Tecna. I mean, it's just a mere coincidence that all of our current residential areas are in New York. Yes, we live quite far away from each other, but nonetheless, it's still New York.

"Oh my gosh, I don't even know where to start! How can any of us afford any of these dresses?! Well, maybe except for some of you," Bloom said glumly. I _so_ feel that pain. I don't spend that lavishly, so I really would feel as if I'm parting with a best friend or something if I buy even the cheapest dress in here.

"Good thing they're on sale," Layla snorted.

A gasp left Musa's lips and she immediately stormed to one of the racks. "Ooooohhh! This one is so mine! It has my name all over it!" she squealed, demanding all of our attention. She held up a mahogany long dress with sweetheart cap sleeves. It was a satin, long mermaid styled dress. It was beautiful and elegant. _Plus,_ Musa always looked amazing in _any_ shade of red. I envy her sometimes because I can never pull that color off with such grace.

But recently...I think I'm looking fantastic in _red._ Brandon told me once that he loved it when I blush...

Heh. That was a lame attempt at my joking, but whatever.

Musa held it over her body which made some of us gasp. Yeah, including me.

"You look amazing!" I exclaimed while Layla peeped, "Uh uh nope."

We all raised an eyebrow at Layla's comment. "Did you see the back or, rather, the lack of it? One more inch and your butt will be free and open to say hello to the whole world."

We started to laugh and Musa put the dress back.

"Ladies! We have a _long_ day ahead of us, so let's make a move on!" Musa looped her arm through mine as we all dashed towards the beautiful dresses.

Little did we know how _true_ Musa's comment would turn out to be.

 _ **Nearly eleven hours later...**_

I groaned as my legs _finally_ neared the sales' counter. "Bill...please," I panted while the sales guy looked at me in amusement. _Ugh._

Musa chuckled as she patted my head, leaving me to glare at her. She raised her hands up in surrender. "It's funny how you're breathless consider how much you love shopping."

"That went out of habit months ago, Muse," I panted slightly trying to catch my breath. She smiled a little sadly before brightening up again. "On the bright side, we're done."

I nodded out of relief. "Yeah," I smiled while taking out my wallet. I opened it to take out my card, only to suddenly freeze. My heart stopped immediately when I realized that my card wasn't there. _Maybe it fell into my bag?_ I frowned noticeably and scoured the whole bag for any signs of golden Visa card. _Oh sweet baby Jesus._

I ignored the questioning look from the sale boy. I had more important things to do like search for my missing card. I opened my wallet again and flipping through the little flaps only to stop when I saw an unfamiliar looking card. Confused, I took it out.

It was a silver, platinum credit card. My cheeks flushed when I saw Brandon's name on it. I shook my head smiling. That sneaky little thief must've stolen my card and replaced it with his own just so I would be forced to use it. _I'm gonna need to have a chat with him later on about his sudden outbursts of generosity._

Handing the card to the clerk, I quickly paid for my set of dresses.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's AND Stella's Home - (Notice the AND!) - 10:00 PM ~**

 **No One's POV:**

Stella bid a good night to her friends before marching up the steps. She tiredly knocked on the front door. She yawned sleepily. The door opened in a matter of seconds. Brandon started to laugh at her disheveled state. Her clothes were wrinkled, clearly due to the infinite number of changes between dresses. Her hair appeared to have a dozen tangles inside. But most of all, her tired face started to crack him up.

"Did you head to the mall or to a country jail?" he took the bags while pushing her inside. He locked the door behind him and watched as Stella yawned.

"I've never been so tired... _ever..."_ Stella softly stated, her voice barely above a whisper. He shook his head in amusement as she flopped on a sofa and looked just about ready to doze off.

He neared her and watched her quietly close her eyes. He bent and tenderly kissed her cheek, making her open her brown eyes. "You better not peek at my new clothes," she muttered tiredly. "I planned to yell at you for stealing my card when I came back, but I feel so tired," she yawned.

"Have you eaten?" he asked while stroking her hair. She nodded her head before her eyes suddenly popped open. She sat up immediately, ignoring the way her body moaned with soreness.

"Please tell me you didn't cook," she mumbled while rubbing her eyes sleepily.

He chuckled. "No, I haven't. I trusted my gut that you're not the type to stay for long without food."

She blushed weakly.

"Are you that tired?" he asked in amusement. He stood up and sat beside her. Stella instantly molded herself into his awaiting arms. "It's your fault. The gala is for three days, so we need three gowns. There are six of us, so we had to look for eighteen of them."

He laughed at her annoyed tone. "Well. Just go and change and head to sleep," he murmured against her blonde hair. Stella closed her eyes. She didn't think she had it in her to take another step, let alone go and change.

"Brand...?" she whispered weakly.

"Hmm?"

"Good night...," she murmured into his chest.

He smiled. "Good night, sunshine." His eyes softened visibly as she dozed off in his arms. "Sweet dreams, love," he whispered against her pale cheek. He gently picked her bridal style and clutched her close to him before heading off to her room.

He slowly shut the door behind him with his foot and walked slowly towards her bed. He gently placed her down on the middle of the mattress and tucked her in. He slipped into the warm covers and joined her. His breath hitched as he drank in her features. _So calm...so serene...so incredibly beautiful..._

What more could he want? What more could he _ever_ want when he had _her_ in his life? She brought him more happiness than he ever experienced in his twenty-three years. _Where have you been all my life?_

Unable to resist, he took out his cell phone. He clicked a silent picture of her, who was completely oblivious to the action. His attention attracted towards his side when Stella started to unconsciously shift towards him. He kissed her forehead lovingly. Stella's lips upturned into a soft smile while her eyes remained closed. She loved it whenever he kissed her on the forehead. A kiss on the forehead instilled hope, faith, love, and most of all...

 _It's a promise._ It's a promise that he'll always love her.

Or at least, that's what she hoped anyway.

He moved away to stand up and leave, when she grabbed a fistful of his shirt. "Please don't go..." she pleaded in a small voice. Without another word, he joined her back on the mattress.

It wasn't long before she rested peacefully in the encasing of his arms while he simply gazed at her. He didn't want to go to sleep. Well, for one, it was nowhere near his every day bedtime. And second...opportunies like these rarely come knocking at the door. He wanted to do nothing but watch her sleep. He turned off the lights but kept the lamp near her nightstand on. It gave her face a soft golden glow that he couldn't help but kiss her softly.

He was surprised when she kissed him back. He pulled back briefly after a few moments. "You aren't asleep yet?" he asked with a light smirk.

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Why are you that surprised? You better not have any funny ideas around me."

He laughed and held her close. "Maybe I do...," he teased earning a red blush from her. She, of course, knew that he was just joking. He traced a thumb over her lips.

"Go to sleep," he commanded gently.

And she obeyed him without further delay. Stella wrapped her arms around his muscular torso and placed her head onto his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, which was probably the sweetest melody she's ever heard. It didn't take her long to fall into a blissful slumber.

* * *

 **~ 6:30 AM ~**

Stella shifted around the mattress. She felt around the bed scouring for her personal teddy bear. She peeked her eyes open when she realized Brandon was nowhere to be found. She sat up with a sleepy yawn escaping from her lips. She looked at the time.

"Wow...I've never been up this early," she mumbled before shifting herself off the bed and hopping to the bathroom.

 _ **20-30 minutes later...**_

"Brandon?!" Stella called out. _Where was he?!_

She took out her phone and dialled his number. It was embarrassing to call someone when they're in the same house as you. To her joy, he immediately picked up.

"Hello?"

She heard an amused chuckle from the other end. "Babe, we're living in the same house. Is a phone call necessary?"

She blushed when he called her 'babe'. She normally hated when someone called her that, but now...it just made her get all mushy.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"In the gym," he answered. She could practically hear the smile in his voice.

Her eyes widened. " _The gym?!_ We have a gym?!" she asked bewildered.

"...for real?"

"Heh." She blushed sheepishly, "Um...where is it?"

"Behind the pool," he answered.

She turned red with embarrassment again. "Um...we have a pool too?"

"..." He remained silent for a few moments. "We're gonna go tour this house right after I'm done here."

Stella blushed and hung up. Well, in her defense, this house was too big. AND, the only rooms she's ever been are her bedroom, his room, living room, and the kitchen. The first time she was here, she had been consumed in her grief. And the second time...well, she's only been here for like a few days. She had a perfectly good excuse.

Her eyes widened when she saw him enter. Her lips parted open with awe and shock while her eyes clouded with fascination. She drew in a deep breath when she saw him walking towards her shirtless and with a devious smirk on his face. His biceps flexed with each step that he took towards her. Beads of sweat trickled down his broad shoulders and disappeared somewhere within the amalgamated pool near his sweatpants. A white towel hung around his neck. His hair, which was slightly damp, appeared darker as it fell just above his eyes.

"...so...like what you see?" he asked huskily, halting his steps just a few inches away from her. He smirked harder in amusement when she started to blush, igniting an inferno within him.

"Well, if you're done ogling, then I'd really like to go and take my morning shower," he smirked deviously.

Stella blushed again. "I..I wasn't o-ogling!" she stammered.

Laughing at her flushed face, he turned around on his heel before disappearing into his room.

 _ **Thirty minutes later...**_

Stella sat on his bed and waited impatiently for him to come out. She blushed when she saw him waltz out of the closet in a full-sleeved black shirt that clung to his frame, showing off his muscular stature.

"I'm starting to think I'm living with a pervert," he smirked while walking towards her. She blushed once more.

He bent towards her level before his smirk turned into a soft smile. "Had a good night's sleep?" She nodded.

Her answer caused him to smirk again. "I suppose it doesn't have anything to do with us sleeping together?" he asked with another devious smirk. She blushed a bright red at his suggestive eyebrows which caused to laugh at her expense. She smacked him on the chest, which added to his amusement and her blushing misery.

"C'mon," he ordered and took her hand.

"Where?" she asked following him.

He threw her an annoyed glance. "I didn't appreciate you being utterly clueless when I told you where I was. So...we're gonna go sight-seeing," he smirked.

Stella's eyes twinkled in marvel when he showed her the many rooms upstairs. How come she never was curious about his home?! He led her first to the gym, enjoying the way her mouth dropped at the view.

"...this is all y-yours?" she whispered in disbelief. He held her from behind and placed his chin on her shoulder. "It's yours too," he whispered back while placing a light kiss along her collarbone. "...how many hours do you spend in here?" she asked rhetorically judging by the expensive and eclectic equipment. A rack rested in each corner of the room, filled with white cotton towels. Oh yeah. He's _definitely_ a fitness freak. Sunlight penetrated through the transparent glass walls and illuminated the gym.

Next came the outdoor pool as well as the indoor one. Her eyes widened at the sight of a big jacuzzi at the end. "...wow," she breathed. "Like it?" he asked with a smile. "Yeah...from a distance," she blushed. "Don't worry. I can teach you how to swim sometime," he smirked.

In the next thirty minutes, he showed her the home theater, library, music room, game room, and many more. Stella could hardly keep up with the reality of his home. How come she was _this_ clueless?!

He finally led her outside where his property stretched outwards for acres, which were barely visible beyond a certain point.

"Wow..." she breathed in disbelief.

"You've been here before," he spoke softly in her ear. She remembered. She remembered crying her heart on many days in this place.

"Yup. It's official. Now I'm really a gold-digging slut to the whole world," she mumbled. His eyes suddenly narrowed into angry slits and he sharply turned her around. "What'd you say?!" he asked irately.

"...I'm literally freeloading off of you. How else should I feel?" she asked as tears welled up in her eyes. His eyes softened at her distressed face. "Stell...you're not free-loading off of me," he cupped her face gently before drawing her in closer to him.

"Stell...I'm a grown man. I can make my own choices. Believe me, whether or not I choose to spend on you, _depends on me._ Not _you._ "

"That's not what everyone thinks," she mumbled sadly. "There are so many girls out there who probably love you. They probably hate me now," she hiccuped.

He kissed her forehead softly before letting his arms drop from her face to her waist. "I don't want any of those girls. _I want you,"_ he whispered gently in her ear. "I was going to keep it this as a surprise till Christmas, but now I guess I have no choice."

"Huh?" she asked him with confusion in her eyes.

"This house...everything I own, _including the company,_ you're a part of it," he breathed.

Stella's eyes widened. "W-w-what?" she stuttered disbelievingly.

"I'm serious about you and I'm serious about _us._ I transferred everything on my name to _our_ names a few months ago," he explained with a soft smile.

"W-w-what...?" she asked with wide eyes, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Remember when I was MIA?" he asked sheepishly.

Stella's jaw dropped to the floor at that. _"No...NO._ You're lying," she sniffled.

She looked around the vast land around them. A tear slipped down her eye when she turned her attention back to him. She...owned this place too? _Her?_ He wiped the lone tear away from her face and kissed her cheek.

"W-why...?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. "Why do you treat me like this?"

"Because you deserve everything, Stel. You deserve happiness and you deserve your every whim to be satisfied," he murmured into her hair. He held her close to his body and relished her soft frame against his. He heard choke on a sob and only tightened his hold.

"I know I've hurt you in the past...and I'm sorry for that," he frowned sadly. She shook her head and buried her head into his chest. "You made up for that a long time ago," she sniffled. "I know," he grinned cheekily earning a giggle from her. "But...I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you. _Always,"_ he said sincerely. "Thank you," she said softly into his shirt. They stood in each other's embrace and watched the sunrise.

He stroked her hair and softly gazed at her. He itched to say _three_ more words to her, but...he'll have to wait.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 2:30 PM ~**

Stella squirmed left and right trying to escape from his deathly hold. "Let me go!" she whined, twisting around his grip. "Maybe, you should just open your eyes and accept that I'm stronger than you," he smirked in amusement. "Let go!" she tried again.

"Then show me what you got from the mall the other day," he huskily whispered near her earlobe. "Tomorrow is the dreaded day! You can see me tomorrow!" Stella stopped squirming in his lap and resorted to slightly panting.

"I need to make sure they're appropriate enough," he smirked.

She gasped at what he _dared_ to suggest. "I didn't buy anything slutty, if that's what you meant," she glared. "You're gonna have to wait till tomorrow."

"Fine. But if you look too damn tempting, then _I will lose control,_ " he warned teasingly. Her eyes widened as a rosy blush bloomed on Stella's face.

"Um so...how long will this last?" she asked nervously.

"A few hours," he answered. "Why're you so nervous?"

"It's my first dance...? I think that's a good enough reason."

"It's no different than a prom, Stel. Except...this one's gonna go a little overboard," he chuckled.

"Eh." She bit her lip, a habit of hers whenever she's heavily nervous or immensed deeply into her thoughts. And right now, she was feeling both. Ugh, she's gonna embarrass herself tomorrow. She came back to reality when his finger tugger slightly at her lip.

 _"Don't."_ He warned earning another soft blush on her pale cheeks. "What's on your mind?" he asked changing the topic.

"...what if something goes wrong?" she asked.

"Isn't that something for the police to worry about?" he asked cheekily.

She rolled her eyes. "No, I mean...what if I mess up somewhere...? Would you be mad at me?"

He stroked her hair. "You're overthinking this, sunshine. I'm not taking you to some county jail. It's just an evening decorated lavishly. That's all. And no, I won't be mad at you. Just try to have fun and if you still don't want to stay, we'll both leave immediately."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head furiously. "No way. You're not going to leave because of me!"

" _Yes,_ I will. I want to spend the evening with you. I want to dance with you. I want to make you laugh. And if I can't do anything of those, there's no point in me staying," he smiled.

"You're such a charmer," she blushed while tapping his nose with her index finger.

"Isn't that why you love me?" he smirked before leaning closer and enclosing her lips with his in a passionate kiss.

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - Brandon's Parents' Home - Flora's Bedroom - 3:30 PM ~**

"Get the hell outta my way!" Musa barged in through the room with a hair dryer and a bunch of styling tools and ran to the bathroom. The girls started to crack up at her tousled state. It was amazing how everyone mingled so well together and how well everyone somehow managed to get along.

Heather, as well as the girls, decided to go to the dance together _fashionably late._ The men can go whenever the hell they can feel like it. "Dudes, chill! The party doesn't start for another four hours," Stella calmly spoke through the unnecessary commotion. She let her hair get air-dried. She crossed a leg over another and sat in a comfy recliner in her silk blue robe.

The rest of the girls were perched randomly around the room. Bloom, Flora, and Tecna lay on Flora's bed while Layla relaxed on a magenta bean bag.

"FOUR HOURS IS NEARLY NOT ENOUGH FOR SEVEN WOMEN TO GET READY, STELL!" Musa yelled loudly from the bathroom. Layla snorted. "Even ten won't be enough considering you've hogged the bathroom for the last three hours." Bloom gave her a high-five as they both started to crack up.

Stella turned to Heather who was seated beside her. "Heather?"

"Stell, I have to say! _I love your friends!"_ Heather gushed happily. "They're all such charming young women. Flora is rarely home, so I barely get any girl time. But now that you're all here, you should all come over each day till your break's over!"

Bloom grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Order some pizza every day and I'm totally in!" They laughed at Bloom's supernatural fetish for pizza.

"Girls, we are seriously behind schedule," Tecna informed while punching in something into her PDA. That girl and tech-savvy tools...

Stella yawned. "That's totally fine with me. I wish I can bunk this whole event."

Six other gasps collectively voiced their unianimous opinion at the same time.

"No way!" Heather furiously shook her head 'no'.

"Uh uh nope, you ain't doing that," Layla crossed her arms.

"You have to come! My brother is waiting there for you!" Flora said anxiously.

"Whaa...?" Bloom stuttered.

"That is completely illogical," Tecna frowned.

"Girl, you're going whether you like it or not. Our date with a ballroom depends on your presence! How can we go if you can't?!" Musa stormed outside of the bathroom with the straightner stuck to her locks.

Layla placed a hand on her hip. "Besides, you _love_ to dress up for fancy events!"

Stella rolled her eyes and snorted. She slumped her shoulders. "Well, Brandon won't stop yapping about wanting to dance with me tonight. And I can't dance to save my soul. A few one-hour sessions are nearly not enough," she frowned.

"Awww, you guys are gonna be so cute!" Heather gushed. No words could express the joy that she felt when Brandon told her that they were finally a _couple._ It was like a dream come true. She worried about the outcome of their forced marriage because, at that time, they both weren't in a good place at that time.

One was a grieving mess and the other was a block of ice.

"Come on, Stell! Let's all get ready! We'll help you impress your man and we'll help ourselves with some new hotties," Layla smirked while pulling Stella up.

Stella grudgingly followed Layla into the bathroom. Ugh. The blonde _so_ dreaded this whole thing. She felt as if there's so much pressure on her. Maybe if her _husband_ isn't the goddamn _CEO_ of a huge company, then maybe she wouldn't be so nervous and frenzy. Heh. Who knew you'd get force-married to a rich and _super hot_ CEO and then fall for him a few months later?

 _Certainly not her._

Stella stepped outside for a moment before taking her dress outside from the covers. Her eyes shone as the dress dazzled with a soft glow.

Maybe she really was worrying too much. She's just a little scared of slipping up on her dancing...but deep down, she wanted this evening to mean something. Events like these don't come knocking at her door every other day. She just really had to trust him. He said that everything's gonna go well.

And maybe...just maybe...he's right. What's the worst that could happen?

Stella's lips upturned into a soft smile. _Well, if that's the case, then I need to get ready,_ she grinned and took the dress completely out and went to change.

-:-:-:-

* * *

 **~ 8:00 PM ~**

A group of six men stood in a circle and laughed merrily. _One_ particular man, however, darted his eyes occasionally towards the entrance every now and then.

"Dude, relax. Stella's gonna show up soon," his best friend, Sky, chuckled.

Brandon simply shrugged and sipped the glass of champagne he held in his right hand while the left one stayed in his pocket.

Riven smirked. "Say...does Stella have a sister?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Brandon chuckled. "No. Even if she did, I pity the poor girl who gives you the time of day," the brunette smirked at his cocky friend.

Riven rolled his eyes and chugged down an entire glass of a strong wine, leaving some of the others to hoot. "Damn. I needed that," he growled.

Timmy, Nabu, and Helia looked at each other and shook their heads at their obviously irrational friend. The party just started and he's already on his way to get drunk. The whole place was filled with employees and their respective significant others, some new faces, and those involved with Shields' Corporations in the business aspects.

A soft melody drifted through the busy atmosphere and echoed throughout the speakers from the ballroom. Everyone wore a new suit or new dress which would definitely be discarded after this night. Guests were received and welcomed on the gravel path leading up to the main doors. Silver shimmery lights were coiled around the trees. The moon shone brightly in the night sky and the stars illuminated with a silvery brilliance.

Furthering adding to the beautiful night, snow drizzled and enveloped the city in an icy glow. New Year was truly beautiful and its magnifience was enhanced by beaming smiles everywhere. Christmas trees were placed and decorated on the lawns.

Waiters and waitresses weaved through the ballroom bearing trays of champagne-filled glasses. An orchestra, a collection of pianists and violinists, was placed in every corner of the hall. Golden crystallic chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the spacious dance floor. Buffet tables were set to one side of the room. Decorations were hung everywhere. A large Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room, with loads of empty gift boxes laying beside it for decorative purposes.

Couples danced to the soft tunes. It was just the indication of the beginning of the night.

And _that's when he saw her._

Brandon's eyes widened when he saw a group of seven women entered through the carved, bronze doors. His breath hitched when he found himself unable to look away from a certain blonde.

Stella entered with a smile, unaware that a few people, _especially one,_ were gazing at her in complete awe. She wore a golden beige floral lace gown that featured a daring slit till an inch above her thigh. The neckline dipped into a soft sweetheart lining that revealed a hint of cleavage. She donned matching accessories to match her dress. Her lips were coated with a soft peachy pink color and her eyes were coated with subtle eyeliner overshadowed by silverish smoky eyeshow. Her hair dropped in soft curls, creating a golden waterfall on her back.

Brandon's jaw dropped. Sky smirked at his friend and closed it, leaving the former to glare at him. "Damn, now those are some _fine_ women right there," Riven smirked, eyeing one particular midnight-haired beauty. Even Helia couldn't keep his eyes from Flora.

"Gentlemen...I think we just scored some hot dates," Nabu smiled as he kept his gaze on a dark-haired dusky beauty.

"Damn right..." Sky whispered, his attention suddenly lost on a particular girl with cyan blue eyes and flaming red hair.

Timmy stayed quiet but occasionally glanced at a fuchsia haired woman.

"Well, gentlemen, I don't see any reason why we're still standing here," Brandon smirked as his feet started to move.

Stella, meanwhile, started laughing at something Musa said. Leave it to Musa to create a light-hearted moment at any situation! Musa looped her arm through Stella's. The rest of the girls also looked beyond stunning.

Musa donned a strapless vibrant red dress with a bold slit along her thigh. Bloom's was a cyan halter neck dress that showed off her legs. Flora's was a lengthy pink maxi dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Layla's gown was a one-shoulder aquamarine dress that stopped just below her knees. And finally, Tecna's was a lavender one which ended just a little above her knees.

All of their hair, excluding Tecna, was styled in gorgeous curls of varying sizes. Tecna's bob was straightened with her bangs pinned elegantly to the side.

Heather's dress was also a long maroon maxi dress with a little train behind it. Her light brown hair was held up in a high sleek ponytail.

"We need pictures," Heather informed. She hopped a few feet away and took out her cellphone from her purse. "Alright, girls. Huddle up together," she grinned. The girls huddled together and smiled brilliantly for the camera.

"You're all so beautiful," Heather gushed.

"We can definitely agree on that," a smooth rich voice spoke from behind.

Stella's heart raced when she saw a smirking brunette behind Heather. Five other guys stood beside Brandon and they were all respectively...eyeing her girls. She recognized them immediately as Brandon's friends. Hell, they were at the wedding.

Stella's heart thudded against her chest when he started to approach her. To say that he was handsome is a _heavy_ understatement. His hair was styled like everyday's although today, it appeared a little more voluminous. He donned a black tux with a matching black tie. The suit hugged and showed off his broad shoulders and his perfect muscular physique.

"Hey," he whispered as he stopped just before her.

Stella expected a few hoots from beside her, but to her surprise, her friends are also occupied with the gorgeous hunks. Even Heather left, presumably to go search for her husband. She turned back to Brandon again.

"How do I look?" she whispered. "...Good enough?"

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "You look stunning."

He interwined his hand with hers and led her away from the group.

"Please don't tell me we're going dancing," Stella pleaded in horror.

"I'm so glad you're excited for it," he smiled cheekily earning a huff from her.

Pulling her onto the dance floor, he took her hand. Stella placed her arm on his shoulder and interwined another free hand into his. "Brandon..." she whispered shakily as an arm wrapped itself around her waist. He pulled her closer to him.

He kissed her forehead. "Stel, stop being scared, okay? You can dance just fine," he said gently. "And believe me. I _won't_ let you fall."

She closed her eyes. "It's not that...I'm afraid, okay? I can practically feel some stares boring into our skulls."

He grinned. "That's because they're jealous that I scored a hot date," he explained informatively as they swayed to the music. Stella blushed at his compliment.

"See? Now this is not so hard," he smirked.

"I'm sure you won't be laughing if I knock both of us to the floor," she rolled her eyes. Her heels clicked against the reflective surface of the smooth and polished floor. _Okay, Stell...this is to all those countless hours you spent rehearsing with him!_

He placed his arm firmly around her mid-back as they danced. They flowed to the music with their feet perfectly in sync with one another. As the song went on, Stella felt much more relaxed and she started to smile. His gaze only drew intense with each rhythmic step that they took. His molten brown orbs captured her honey ones.

His eyes were on hers and Stella felt as if she was on cloud nine. He knew her limits and her level of comfort and knew how to keep that in mind. And Stella instantly let go. Her worries and anxiety faded away as he sped up the movements. The soft melody was gone and now a much more hypnotic beat took its place. He twirled her a few times and crushed her back to his chest again. Her dress twirled around her, showing just a tease of her legs. They forgot the rest of the world except for the fast beat showing through their movements.

They didn't need to speak or have any voluble conversation. Their eyes spoke volumes of feelings for each other.

The song eventually ended and they finally stopped. They were oblivious to the audience clapping. The applaud was not specifically directed at them. Instead, it was rounded to all of the dancing couples.

"I need a five," Stella panted. Sweat threatened to pool near her forehead and she didn't specifically feel like reapplying her makeup now.

"Sure," he smirked as he calmly led her away.

From a distance, Heather Shields watched with avid fascination at her favorite couple. They looked so much in love! _Oh this is a dream come true!_ She made sure to take lots of pictures.

Stella stopped when she neared the buffet table and took a glass of punch. He watched her as she slowly sipped on the drink.

Stella's eyes widened when she felt cool lips touch her cheek. "Meet me outside in twenty minutes," he whispered in her ear. She turned to him in confusion, but he justed stroked her cheek once with a soft smile. And with that, he just turned around and left.

Stella blinked a few times, not understanding his sudden departure.

Shrugging her shoulders, she went back to sipping her drink when she felt an arm around her. She smiled to see Musa panting, clearly out of breath. "Damn," her dark-haired friend deeply heaved. "That boy can dance!"

Stella giggled. "Who?"

"Riven...I think?"

"You don't know with whom you've danced with?" Stella laughed.

"Who cares about the name? He's hot," Musa chuckled as they both turned to scan the dance floor. "Guess who's getting laid tonight?" Musa whispered as she nodded her head in a particular direction.

Stella's eyes widened when she saw Bloom and Sky getting awfully comfortable with each other on the dance floor. "...Wow. Guess they must've hit off pretty fast," the blonde stated as she blinked in disbelief.

"It's like watching them have sex...with their clothes on," Musa remarked as she shuddered dramatically. They both started to crack up as they continued to peruse each couple.

"Are Flo and Helia dating?" Musa asked curiously. Stella nodded. "Yeah."

"So..." Musa started earning a raised eyebrow from Stella. "What's the beef about you and Brandon?"

Stella blushed. "Nothing..." she trailed off.

"As if! Look at you, Stell! You're practically glowing. Now I don't know if that's because of the lighting and decorations or if it's regarding your coughcoughsexlifecoughcough," Musa smirked.

Stella gasped. "MUSA!"

Musa laughed. "Sorry. Can't resist. But...it's so good to finally see you happy. I officially approve of Brandon," she said sincerely.

Stella's eyes welled. "Musa Melody, are you going sentimental on me?" she smiled teary-eyed.

Musa also dabbed her eyes. "No, of course not!" she scoffed.

They shared a hug.

"Thanks, Muse. For always being there for me," Stella hugged her best friend.

"You too, Stell," Musa hugged her back.

They pulled away moments later. "I'm glad you're happy," Musa stated.

Stella smiled. She is. She is really happy. All thanks to... _Brandon..._

Without him, she wouldn't be able to smile or laugh. Without him, the void in her heart would probably remain broken forever. She never thought that she'd heal from a broken heart this quickly. She never thought that she'd experience... _love._

Stella's eyes slightly widened when she remembered that she had to meet up. She took her leave and watched with an amused chuckle as Musa ran back to the dance floor. It's good that her friends are also having fun.

She stepped outside and instantly started to shiver violently. It was heavily snowing and this dress did nothing to help her case. Her cheeks started to redden from the cold. Wisps of cold smoke left her lips as she breathed. She walked along the gravel path and saw that the lawns of the large mansion were empty.

Of course, they would be. No matter how beautiful this rented ballroom building was, people are stupid to shiver their butts off in this frigid cold. She ventured further along the gardens searching for him. "Brandon better have a good reason for telling me to come out here!" Stella hissed as her teeth chattered. She rubbed up and down along her arms to keep herself warm.

She suddenly let out a surprised yelp when she felt an arm snake itself around her waist and pull her back. She felt her back collide against against a solid chest. "Don't worry. I certainly do," an amused voice smirked. Stella blushed when she heard his voice. Brandon rested against the building with her tightly pressed against him.

Stella turned around in his arms. "Don't you think that people will start wondering something creepy about us?"

He chuckled. "Not really because...we're not the only ones out here," he smiled as he pointed towards a group of trees where a couple was seen making out. He pointed to a few more couples before turning his attention back to her. "Besides...there's nothing wrong with a married couple getting a little frisky," he huskily whispered making her eyes widen. She turned a bright crimson at his suggestive implication.

His eyes darkened visibly at her appearance. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips slightly quivered with the cold. Her hair softly blew in the light gust of wind.

"I'll never get over how gorgeous you are," he murmured as he leaned to kiss her. Stella moaned softly as she kissed him back. Warm tingles travelled throughout her body, instantly heating her. He took off his jacket without breaking the kiss and wrapped it around her.

A few moments later, they broke apart. Stella slipped into his jacket and he chuckled how small she looked in it. He held her close and kissed her forehead.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked burying her head into his chest.

He shook his head. "I can handle it. Do you want to go inside?" He silently hoped that she would say no. She thought for a moment and shook her head 'no' with a soft blush on her beautiful face.

"I missed you today," she hugged him close.

"Me too, sunshine," he huskily whispered.

They watched as New York rocked gently to white blankets of snow. "It's really beautiful tonight," Stella mused.

"And you were thinking of ditching me tonight," he smirked against her cheek.

"In my defense, I had a perfectly good excuse," she blushed before turning to him.

He smiled and leaned in to tenderly kiss her forehead. He never anticipated this. Every year, Christmas was boring. It was the same old thing. Watch on the sidelines as his friends danced with their dates and had fun. Only because he held the position of CEO, he's kind of required and obligated to attend this event. But now...Christmas didn't seem so boring anymore. Because he had _her_ now.

He's happy. He's finally happy and also...he's complete. _Scary complete._

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked.

"Are you happy? Are you _really_ happy?" he asked, retorting right on cue.

She nodded slowly, wondering where he was going with this.

"Then I have something for you," he whispered.

"Christmas isn't for another few days," Stella grinned although she is kind of excited and scared at the same time. She's scared that he'll give up something important again. Like, for example, she found out a few days that he wrote all of his properties on her name, making her a legal holder alongside him. But she's also excited because she's still curious.

"I'm giving this to you now because...I don't want to see you upset on Christmas," he caressed her cheek. "Promise not to cry?"

Stella frowned. Okay, throw away the excitement part. She's definitely scared now. "...Brandon, you're scaring me," she frowned as creases formed on her forehead.

"It's not a scary thing..." he held her close. "Just...something far away."

 _Huh?_ She frowned not understanding a single word.

He reached into his pockets and took out a white envelope. He handed it to her with little emotion in his eyes. She took it with confusion.

"...is it...bad?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "Depends on how you take it," he answered. He stroked her cheek. "Maybe I should've given it to you when we got home."

"...Then I don't want this whatever the heck it is," Stella shoved it back to him. "Please. I'll read it when we go home."

He placed it back in his pocket with a small knowing smile. "As you wish," he smiled.

Stella stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, but was interrupted when a sound beat played from the inside. "Maybe we should go back," she whispered against his lips. He smirked. "I'm fine with staying right here, thank you very much."

She laughed. "People are going to start assuming things and that includes your hyperactive mother. Let's go," she smiled while removing the jacket and handing it back to him. He shook his head with a small glare, clearly not appreciating her about dissing him like that. He put it on and buttoned up his jacket while she smoothed her dress.

"It's so cold," she murmured while rubbing her arms. He kissed her temple and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Let's go back. Come on," he said as they travelled back up the path.

* * *

 **~ Later That Night - Brandon's AND Stella's House - (NOTICE THE** **AND** **ONCE MORE!) - 12:30 AM ~**

Stella peeled the dress off her and changed into a comfortable nightgown. Odd as it might seem, she really enjoyed tonight. Brandon and her practically danced all night. As he promised, he never let her fall even though her heel skidded a few times along the polished floor.

Stella blushed as she adjusted her bright red silk gown which ended just near her knees. She clasped her curls into a side ponytail and let her bangs out. A few tendrils gently framed her face. Satisfied, she went out again to meet him. She wasn't really tired and frankly, neither was he. He was already waiting for her in the kitchen.

"Hey," he greeted her while pouring himself a glass of water.

"Hi."

She also poured herself a glass of water. Brandon watched her as she drank. "Stell?"

"Hmm?" She set the glass back down and they walked hand-in-hand to the living room. They both sat down on the sofa and relaxed in each other's arms.

"Here," he said without another delay as he handed her the same envelope from earlier. Stella stiffened at the sight of that thing. "Why am I afraid to see this thing?" she laughed to herself and took it from him.

"It's for me?" she asked as her eyes darted between the letter and him.

He nodded without another word.

She bit her lip as she tore open the envelope. She opened the letter and started reading.

 _To our dearest little girl,_

Stella dropped the paper in shock as her lips trembled. _N-no...this can't be..._

A small sob escaped her throat when her eyes fell on the familiar handwriting. _Her mother's._

Brandon frowned when her eyes clouded with tears. He held her tightly against him but said nothing.

"What is this?" she asked, turning to him with heartbroken eyes.

He took a deep breath. "Your parents...they were in a stable condition after the surgery. And they wrote these letters then."

Her eyes widened. _W-what?_ Her parents were okay? She was led to believe that they hung to the last thread just to see her. So, if they were okay...then why...? Her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why would they write something like this if they were...okay?"

"Because the doctors were unsure. A side effect of the surgery was internal bleeding. They couldn't stop it. They could only suppress it and wait," he said gently while wiping away the tears flowing down from her face. "They had blood clots in their brains," Brandon spoke sadly. "They couldn't remove them. And your parents knew this. They knew that there was a chance that they'll seize and..." he trailed off not wanting to finish that sentence.

Her eyes turned back to the paper in her lap. A tear fell on the letter as she tenderly caressed the paper with her fingers. Her eyes fell on the words.

 _To our dearest little girl,_

 _If you're reading this, then...we're in a place where we believe that pain is non-existent. Enough about us._

 _Our dearest darling girl, we have watched you grow into a beautiful woman who brings us nothing but joy. You've always been clear and determined about your goals and ambitions in life. And now, we probably won't be physically there to continue watching you grow._

 _We hope, if you're reading this, that somehow...you're with Brandon. We hope you're not angry at us for coercing you into a marriage with a stranger. And now, we really wish both of you a very happy and blissful married life, sweetie._

 _We love you no matter what and we'll forever live in your heart. We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful daughter like you. And sometimes, it's so hard to believe that you're only twenty-one years old. We love you, sweetheart._

 _Let your light shine and don't ever surrender or succumb to grief. We can never forgive ourselves that were the case. Go into the world and experience love and adventure._

 _With our love always,_

 _Mom & Dad_

Stella clutched the paper tightly not even realizing how the words blurred. She struggled not to cry. Why?! Why do they have to do this?!

"Why did you hide this from me?!" Stella turned to him angrily with tears streaming down her face. "Why?!" she yelled but he offered nothing but a sad look.

She placed her face into her knees and started to cry. Her body shook with sobs. Brandon frowned and only held her close to him as a means of comfort. "Why did you hide this from me?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" she sobbed harder. Just when she was feeling normal...just when she was starting to _love_ again...

"Because your parents wanted you to read this when...when you've accepted that they're gone," he told her sadly. "I'll never accept that they're gone. I'll never forgive them for this," she glared heatedly at the paper. She removed herself from Brandon's arms and stood up.

She ignored his startled look and walked or, rather, stormed to her room with thunderous footsteps.

"Stella, stop!" Brandon stood up sharply and grabbed her wrist causing her to flinch.

She turned around with fire burning in her heartbroken eyes. "And I'll never forgive you for hiding this from me."

"Stel-"

"You lied to me!" she yelled angrily. "How could you keep something like this from me?!"

"I'm telling you now." Okay, that was an extremely wrong response considering how her glare only narrowed.

"Really?!" she crossed her arms as she glared at him. He resisted the urge to gulp. He always laughed it off when his friends tell him that women are volatile and can snap at any time. But now, he definitely knew what the hell that meant. Stella had been angry at him before, but they both knew that they'd make up in the next minute. But...this was something else.

It was real anger this time.

"Stella...can't we talk about this in a calm manner?" he tried.

"We _are_ talking about this," she hissed. "You all led me to believe that my parents had just came out of the surgery when we arrived there at the hospital."

She continued, "And now you're telling that they _knew_ that they were going to die!" She nearly pulled her hair out from frustration and bitter anger.

Another sob racked her body. His eyes softened at the sight. It killed him to see her on the verge of sanity although she'll never understand that. "Stell, please-"

"You all lied to me," she cried. Her fiery temper in her voice was no longer to be seen. Her face transformed to one of pain and bitterness.

"No-"

"I wish I just died along with them," she whispered. She bit her lip as she shut her eyes. She opened them a moment later and watched with pain when his features hardened. There was only sadness in his eyes.

He took a few steps towards her and stopped just a few inches from her. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just...I guess I thought it would bring you closer to them."

He stretched his arms wide open as if inviting her to come back to him again. Stella sniffled at his hopeful eyes. She didn't waste another moment and flew to his arms. His arms automatically wound around her tightly. She sobbed sorrowfully into his chest. "They left me," she cried. "How am I ever supposed to be okay with that?"

He removed her hair from the ponytail and let it spill loose onto her back. "You have to be. There's _nothing_ you can do to bring them back. At some point...you need to accept that they're really gone. At which point you choose to do that, depends on _you."_

"I feel so alone," she sniffled.

He pulled her back just enough. "You're never alone, Stell. You'll _always_ have me. _**Always.**_ "

Another tear slipped down her eye. She looked at the sofa where the paper rested innocently. She turned back to him again. "Promise?" she asked desperately.

"I promise," he said firmly while kissing her softly. He didn't care how salty her tears tasted against his lips. She needed to know that he's always going to be here.

 _That he'll never leave her side._

...

 _ **EVER.**_

 **...**

* * *

So I'm both happy and sad to announce that Shattered Heart has maybe around... _ **10 chapters before it finally ends!**_

I'm guessing a maximum of 30 chapters?

Yup. _**Please read and review!**_ It would mean so so so so so much to me! Cupcakes or flames, feel free to fire them at me :)!

 _ **See you soon in the next one :)**_


	20. Dance and Say Goodbye

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Hey!**

 **Okay, one user asked me if there will be a sequel to the story.** Frankly, I don't know if there will be a second part. The next ten chapters will certainly be longer. (Hence, expect slow updates). But if there will be a sequel, you guys will be the first to know about it :)! Feel free to shoot me some idea because I have a feeling I'm gonna get stumped lol c:

 **TO ANOTHER USER (Elenor/Guest):**

 _ **First of all, thank you so much! And second, I love the ideas!**_ I was freaking out when I read your review because I totally had the idea for the secret agents situation too! I'm actually in the middle of brainstorming a spy story between my favorite couple of all time...so let's see how it actually fares :) I totally get what you're saying about adding more drama! Thank you! It's this kind of critism that I need :D Well, the reason why nothing significant has started is because I wanted some time to show how much Stella and Brandon love each other before something spicy turns up. Anyways, thank you so much once again! I'll definitely consider every idea of yours :)!

 **So I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

 **~ The Next Evening - 7:30 PM ~**

Stella laughed as Brandon twirled her around, making her world spin in a blur. It was the same as yesterday, but today the hype has increased to a whole new level. Stella donned a strapless silver mermaid dress with a low train in the back. She finished the look with matching earrings and necklace. Her hair fell down in larger curls and her bangs were clipped to the side with a small white pin.

"Brand...! People are staring at us!" Stella smiled at him.

He chuckled and traced his lips along her cheek. "Correction. They're staring at you. They just can't get over how beautiful you are," he murmured. Stella blushed a bright red. "S-stop that."

He dipped her and held her in that position for a few lingering moments. "You _are_ stunning whether you think so or not," he said firmly before lifting her back up and allowing her in his arms again.

"I can definitely vouch for that," a familiar chuckle rang out from behind them. Stella gasped when an arm interwined around her waist, allowing her to twirl and crash into someone else. She blinked her eyes open and her jaw dropped at the person holding her.

"JAY!" Stella smiled happily when she saw her brotherly friend. He looked extremely handsome in his sleek black tuxedo. Ugh. Who was she kidding? Brandon's friends are always on a surreal level of handsomeness.

"Heya," he greeted with a smile. "Daaayyyymmmmmm," he said while giving her a detailed onceover. "If I wasn't leaning towards men, Brandy's gonna have some heavy competition," he winked. Stella giggled and glanced over at Brandon. He was dancing with Flora but looked downright annoyed from clearly having heard Jay's attempt of flirting.

Stella turned back to Jay again as he twirled her a few times. Her dress rotated freely around her before falling still again.

"Why weren't you here yesterday?!" Stella pouted shooting him a small glare.

Jay chuckled. "Well some of us don't have three weeks off for Christmas."

"Awww, you big softie! You came here just for me!"

He smirked. "Don't be ridiculous. I came here to get a load of that sex bomb over there," he teased referring to the brown-haired man dancing not less than a few feet away.

He turned back to her again. "But don't worry. You'll always be my close second."

Stella laughed. "Gee thanks."

Jay's smirk slowly vanished and a small smile took its place. "How're you doing though? Is everything okay? Like... _really okay?_ "

She smiled at his concern. "Yeah. I guess I thought that coming back here would undo me, but...turns out that I should learn to accept whatever's happened and be grateful for what I have _now._ "

"That's the spirit," he chuckled.

"Can I have my girl back now?" a jealous voice boomed from beside them leaving Jay to shake his head in mock disapproval and Stella to blush and laugh.

"Someone should teach that boy to share," Jay muttered. He kissed Stella's cheek before letting her go.

Stella blushed when Brandon caught her effortlessly in his arms. "I don't like him anymore," he said angrily.

Stella laughed earning a pointed glare from him. "Jealousy is a good look on you," she smiled.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight till this is over," he growled as he held her protectively close against him. Stella blushed. All she could do is love the way he looked at her. He never let his eyes falter anywhere else. It was _her_ and _only her._ He dipped her once and Stella felt heat rise when his hand ran along her thigh. His hand moved slowly up her thigh and moved to her side before finally pulling her up and taking control of her waist. She loved this feeling and unconsciously moved closer to him which made him lightly smirk.

She blushed bashfully when he kissed her cheek lovingly.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's Home - Stella's Room - 1:30 AM ~**

"One more night..." Brandon whispered to the still blonde resting quietly in his arms.

"Thank you for taking me with you," she blushed.

"Anytime," he smiled at her while placing a soft kiss against her hair. "So you're not mad at me anymore?"

"...I'm sorry," she smiled sadly at him.

"Me too," he hugged her close not wanting to see her upset anymore. Stella lay in his arms peacefully. His warmth made her snuggle further into him. His arms served as a protective shelter for her that she couldn't help but feel a little doozy. She yawned, unable to suppress it.

"Maybe I should go..." he trailed off, loosening his grip on her.

"No, don't," she yearned, clutching his shirt tighter.

"I have work tomorrow morning, Stell. I don't want to wake you up. Good night," he spoke warmly before kissing her cheek.

"Please don't go..." she pleaded in the darkness.

"Go to sleep," he commanded gently. It didn't take her long to do that since she was already on the verge of dozing off. He watched her sleep in the dark. He didn't want to leave her either, but he just felt that...he might slip up. He didn't want to make a mistake while sleeping that might cost him severely later. He didn't want to take any chances or even the slightest risks with Stella. She's not just his love interest of four months. She's much more than that. She's... _precious._ That's the word. _Dangerously precious._

Work is just a pathetic excuse that he had used. He can always work from home. There's no need to always go to the office.

"Sweet dreams, beautiful," he kissed her once more before silently tucking her in. He slipped away unnoticed and silently crept out of the room. He closed the door behind him before finally releasing the breath he didn't realize he's been holding.

 _What are doing to me, Stell?_ he sighed to himself before heading back to his room and turning in for the night.

* * *

 **~ The Next Evening - 8:30 PM ~**

Stella's light brown eyes twinkled as she watched the scene going on before her. Her dress tonight had been a slightly edgy one from Rachel Allan 6179. It was a beautiful burgundy gown that showed off her slender and tall figure. A glossy collar led to a unique halter with a plunging V-neck neckline. Scintillating sequins lit up the bodice with a strappy cutaway effect about her midriff. Shimmering accents and an embroidery gradually filled into a fluted skirt to a full length. Stella's hair was styled into a half-updo curls. Her makeup was naturally applied, just the way she (and Brandon) liked it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Brandon Shields smiled from the stage as he addressed to each and everyone present in the ballroom. He looked dashing in a black tux with a dark burgundy satin tie that perfectly matched with the color of his date's dress. He continued, "First of all, let me address how much I came to love working with each and everyone of you. It's certainly a pleasure to be able to share such a memorable night with all of you," he smiled as he raised his toast in the air. Spectators cheered and did the same.

"Merry Christmas, everyone! And an advanced Happy New Year! I hope the new year brings nothing but success and happiness to you and to the ones you love," Brandon wished.

Stella caught his eye, who smiled at her. She blushed.

He turned his attention to the roaring crowded and waited for everyone to settle down. "And for the second announcement...I'm officially granting _everyone_ here a full three-week holiday till the second week of January."

Even before he finished, everyone started to hoot and cheer up. Stella looked around in amazement. Did everyone here really work that hard that they're cheering so loudly at the mention of a holiday?

"...But I do expect everyone to work _VERY_ hard once they come back," Brandon smirked. Some laughed and some shook their heads with a smile. But none showed visible hostility.

Musa rolled her eyes. "Damn. I wish my boss was cool like that," she muttered sourly.

"Merry Christmas, guys!" he shouted into the microphone, his voice echoing throughout the ballroom's speakers.

 _And the night officially began..._

* * *

Stella blushed when Brandon took her in his arms. "We're going to dance again?" she smiled at him. He smirked. "So you do enjoy it, don't you?" She nodded with heat rising on her cheeks. It was true. She thought she'd dread this whole thing. But truth be told, she really was enjoying herself. She was a nervous wreck on the first day, but she felt free tonight.

"Maybe later. Come here," he tossed her a charming smile while lacing an arm around her waist. She looked confused and followed his steps. Her eyes widened when he realized that he was taking her outside.

"Nope uh uh. I'm definitely _not_ going outside tonight. It's so cold!" Stella shuddered just thinking about how she practically ran inside so unladylike just an hour or so ago. He chuckled. "I'll protect you. C'mon," he gently ushered her outside.

Stella shivered visibly as a gust of cold air blew in her face. The central heating of the ballroom was no longer protecting her. Instead, a cold and harsh wind kissed her exposed skin. The dress did nothing to help her. It wasn't meant to withstand harsh temperatures. It was just meant for showing off on occasions exactly like these.

She gasped when she felt a warm jacket around her shoulders. She looked at him with a small blush on her face. He simply tossed her a charming smile. Stella slipped into the jacket without another second delay. She clutched the jacket around her tighter.

"Better?" he whispered in her ear, his voice sending chills down her spine.

"How come you're not cold?" she asked as her teeth chattered in the frigid wind.

He laughed. "I was born and raised here. I can handle this cold upto a certain extent. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

He led her down the gravel path and stopped just near the side of the building. Stella sighed in relief when the wall blocked the wind. He attached his back to the wall and wrapped his arms around her. She instantly welcomed his touch. He was warm. _So warm..._ she melted against him. She placed her palms on his chest and looked up at him.

"You're so gorgeous," he breathed against her pale cheek. She blushed again. His eyes darkened at her flushed face and soft lips. She never looked so beautiful to him.

"Oh! I forgot to ask you," her face suddenly brightened.

"Mhm?" he asked with a renowned interest.

"What do you want for Christmas?" she blushed while looking up at him with twinkling eyes.

He smirked. "For real?"

She shrugged in embarrassment. "Yes. I mean...there isn't anything you can't buy. I...don't know what I can get for you."

He raised her chin with his finger. "I have you," he said sincerely while hugging her close. "I don't want or need anything else." Her eyes shined with happiness. "...do you really mean that?" she asked.

His smile changed into a smirk. "Well, if you're so keen on getting me something..." he trailed off. "You'll give me anything I want?"

She nodded slowly, a little disoriented by his proximity with her.

 _"Anything?"_ he huskily whispered as he leaned in further. He traced a thumb across her soft, pink lips. She blushed at his gaze and the contact. "Um...y-y-yes?" she trembled making him laugh. "You're so easy to mess with," he smirked with amusement. He leaned in to kiss her only to stop when Stella placed a finger on his lips. He glared at her annoyed. She laughed at his grumpiness.

"You better have a good reason for stopping me," he hissed, tightening his grip on her. "We have to go back inside. I don't want people gossiping about us, okay?" she admitted while hitting his chest. "Didn't you just admit that you'd give me anything I desire?" he smirked. She blushed. "Stop," she said firmly trying to control her endless blushes.

"Exactly. Stop stopping me," he smirked before pressing his lips tightly against hers. She whimpered softly beneath his demanding lips. He devoured her moans of defeat with an urgent satisfaction. He took advantage of her shuddering body against his and pressed her tightly against him. He never imagined that he'd meet such a woman who would ignite his every boyhood fantasy.

He only let her go when the need for air became urgent between both of them. He pulled back just enough and drank in how beautiful she appeared in his arms at the moment. She slowly blinked her eyes open and saw that his own pupils were a dark brown and almost black. She panted as she relished just how intoxicating that was. He rarely kissed her like that, but when he did, she never felt so loved, wanted, and desired.

"Is this why you keep bringing me outside?" she panted while melting into him.

"More or less," he smirked. He clasped her cheek. "Go back inside," he gently ushered her as he loosened his grip on her.

"Huh?" she asked confused. "...you're letting me go? Just like that?"

He nodded. "I'll see you at home."

She bit her lip. "You're leaving? Then take me with you-"

He smiled at her confused face. "I need to finish something at work. The employees are on vacation. Not the employer. See you later," he hugged her close once before kissing her cheek. He took her back to the main doors before taking his jacket from her. Stella stood there baffled as he suddenly left her side and scurried off to who-knows-where. She stared after his retreating figure with a longing before sighing and heading back inside.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor, a little oblivious to the happy couples dancing everywhere. Why did she feel so momentarily lost without him by her side? Ugh, she's turning into a dependent freak day by day.

Consumed in her own world, she crashed into someone that sent her nearly tumbling.

"What the-?!" the other person, obviously a woman, exclaimed startled.

Stella winced when an arm clasped around her waist tightly to prevent her fall. Another arm caught the other person from falling.

"You girls okay?"

Stella peeked her eyes open and sighed in relief when she saw Jay holding her up. She saw the other woman in front of her.

"I'm so sorry!" Stella exclaimed after balancing herself.

The other girl was beyond gorgeous. Gorgeous enough for girls to go ga-ga over her. Her long raven-black hair hung in waterfall waves past her back. Her silvery shimmery dress gave enough way for cleavage to leave little to the imagination. A daring slit ran up the girl's thigh and nearly till her hip. Her makeup was bold, yet still edgy. "Maybe you should watch where you're going the next time," she hissed.

"...Skylar?" Jay suddenly spoke with wide-eyes.

Stella raised an eyebrow in question.

Skylar's eyes widened. "Jay! Is that really you?!" she hugged him tightly. Jay awkwardly patted her back. She pulled back and eyed Stella as recognition flashed in her eyes.

"Hold up. I know you. You're Brandon's wife, aren't you?" Skylar looked at Stella with narrowed eyes.

Stella smiled tightly. "Yeah. That's me."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Skylar Black," Skylar smiled which Jay recognized as fake right off the bat. She extended her hand for Stella to take as a form of polite gesture. The blonde tightly smiled as she shook it. "Well then. Jay and Stella...enjoy the party. Maybe I'll see you soon," Skylar smiled before turning her hips and sashaying out of their presence gracefully.

"Who was that?" Stella asked curiously.

"...Just someone I used to know," Jay murmured. "I uh...I need to make a call. I'll see you around."

Stella nodded and watched him leave. Great. She's just been dumped again. Okay, that was a selfish perspective. The world doesn't revolve around her so she really shouldn't expect people to be around her constantly.

She crossed her arms and simply watched the many people who gathered around. Her attention suddenly caught on to Skylar who seemed to approach two elderly people, presumably her parents. Stella wistfully smiled at the scene before her.

"You okay, Stel?"

Stella turned around to see Flora standing before her. She smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Flora."

"Where's Brandon? I don't see him anywhere," Flora looked around the room trying to scan around for her brother.

"Oh. He left," Stella shrugged.

"Left? Where?" Flora raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just as baffled as you are," Stella sighed. She decided to change the topic feeling a little glum. Oh for goodness sake! She'll see him in a few hours. "So what's up?"

Flora rolled her eyes. "Funny you should ask that. Come on. I'll show you."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Show me what?"

She followed the brunette who led her to a secluded corner. Flora took out her phone and handed it to Stella.

"Um. What am I supposed to be looking for?" Stella asked as she looked at the page Flora pulled up. It looked like a...receipt. "Is this your grocery receipt?"

Flora facepalmed. "Seriously?! Check the amount! Who grocery shops for a few thousand dollars?!"

Stella's eyes widened. "What the heck? Wait a sec..." She zoomed into the picture and her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Are these bookings for rental car? To where? Why?!"

"I think we're all going camping," Flora mused.

"Excuse me?!" Stella's eyes widened. She scratched her head not understanding what's really going on.

"Excuse me," a deep rich voice spoke from behind. Stella and Flora turned around to see a tall and strikingly handsome man with raven-black hair before them.

"May I have this dance?" he slightly bowed while extending his hand towards Stella.

Stella blinked twice when Flora grinned cheekily and pushed her towards the man. The blonde blushed slightly before nodding and giving him her hand. He smiled showing white pearly teeth. He led them both to the dance floor where they both joined the other couples dancing the night away.

He placed an arm around her waist and interwined his free hand with hers. Stella placed an arm on his shoulder. They started dancing to the beat of the music, catching the attention of a few.

"I'm Christopher Williams. But please, call me Chris," he said with a charming smile.

Stella blushed slightly. "Stella..." she trailed off not knowing whether to introduce herself as Stella Solaria or Stella Shields.

He laughed. "A beautiful name. But there isn't anyone here who doesn't know you, Stella."

"Oh," she blushed again while looking around. She saw a few people eyeing the both of them although she couldn't understand why. Her eyes narrowed just a little in confusion before turning back to him.

"I'll tell you. Your date allowed no one to dance with you for the last two days. And now that he's not here...men are itching to whisk you away. Myself included," Chris smiled at her.

Stella grinned back. "Why is that?"

Chris smirked. "Why not? I'd kill to have a dance with a gorgeous girl like you," he breathed while holding her closer to his broad chest.

Stella looked momentarily stunned and taken aback. _Oh._ She blushed once more. "Thank you," she softly smiled.

The music soon ended and Chris ended it gracefully by twirling her a few times before letting her back in his arms again. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Stella," he smiled while placing a light kiss on her hand.

"You too, Chris," Stella blushed. "It was nice meeting you."

He laughed. "Don't worry. We'll see each other soon. _Very soon."_

Stella blinked in confusion but he didn't offer any other explanation. He tossed her another charming smile before turning around on his heel and leaving her. Stella left the waxed and polished floor pondering over his last sentence. Oh, what was she thinking? She shrugged it off before leaving to find Flora. They were talking about some spontaneous camping trip before Chris came and took her away.

Oh. And if Brandon knew about this _and_ didn't tell her, then he's gonna have a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's Home - Living Room - 12:45 AM ~**

"I'm home!" Stella called out before locking the front door behind her. Moaning in pain, she took off her sky high heels and tossed them aside. Brandon emerged into the living room and smiled at her. She blushed and mused just how much she missed him over the last few hours.

He neared her before she suddenly stopped him, suddenly remembering that she was supposed to be angry at him.

"YOU LIED TO ME," she exploded while marching straight up to him and grabbing his collar. He raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Care to explain? I want to know why and where I'm being dragged to without my knowledge or permission," Stella crossed her arms pointedly as she stared at the insolent prick in front of her. She shook him back and forth by his collar.

He rolled his eyes and placed a hand over hers.

"It's your Christmas present," Brandon threw her a nonchalant smirk while wounding his arms tightly around her. Stella stood in front of him and tapped her foot impatiently. "Let me go. I'm in no mood to talk to you, _thank you very much!"_ She raised her leg and kicked him in the knee. He, clearly not having expected it, momentarily lost his grip on her. She used that as leverage and slipped out of his hold. She frowned before turning to quietly walk back to her room.

"Stella, wait!" He grabbed her wrist but she visibly flinched.

"Let go," she softly said. She shook her arm loose but his grip remained firm.

"Are you upset?" he asked softly, stroking the side of her wrist.

She tried shaking her arm again, but he, a little exasperated, tugged her back to him again. "Answer the question," he prodded her.

"Of course I'm upset! How can you make plans without telling me?! You can't just drag me wherever you want, you know!" She said bitterly and pushed him away from her. "I'm a human. Not your property," she glared, not realizing how his eyes flashed with hurt at that.

He breathed trying his best not to get angry at her bitter accusations. "First of all, it wasn't me who made the plans. And second, I found out about them from my parents just a little while before you came. And third, if you didn't want to go, then I wouldn't have made you go."

She crossed her arms and sharply looked at him. Honestly, she didn't know what to say.

He continued. "You're right. You're not my property. I'm sorry I made a mistake of inviting you to this dance," he said acidly. Stella's stance faltered at his tone. "I should've left you alone when you said you didn't want to go. I guess I was foolish enough to think that you'd come to enjoy it," he hissed.

"Good night. Don't worry. I'll cancel them," he said without any emotion in his eyes.

She sighed when he turned around, his good mood clearly ruined. Well...! She was in a bad mood too! "Don't cancel them. I don't need your parents feeling upset over this."

He turned his head to the side and emotionlessly spoke again. "I can handle them."

She muttered, "Yeah right." She hadn't meant for him to hear that but judging the way his eyes narrowed in anger at that, he definitely heard it.

"What'd you say?" he barked, completely turning around now.

She took a deep breath. Well, she might as well say it. "Do you even consider their feelings? Don't you care that maybe they'll be hurt if we don't go?!" she yelled. Stella's sunconscious shouted for her to stop because the atmosphere quickly turned thick with tension. At this rate, they'll both end up saying something they'll surely regret later.

She continued fierily. "How would you handle them? Yell at them?"

His jaw clenched. "Stella. Stop," he warned as he took a predatorious step towards her.

"Why should I?! You can handle them? Of course you can. Oh wait. How exactly? Like treating your own father like a piece of disgusting dirt?!" Stella shouted. _Oh my God...did I just say that? Please tell me I did not just say that!_ She instantly regretted her tone and covered her mouth when his body went slack right there on the spot.

 _..._

 _Silence._

 _..._

There was nothing but the deafening cold chill passing through the hollow house. He didn't move a single inch. It's almost as if...he's been turned into stone. And that's when she realized that she must've hit a painful nerve. She opened her lips to apologize but found that she lost her voice. No words came out as she struggled to take in the wounded expression on his handsome face.

In an instant, his face shifted. His eyes flashed red with fury and his jaw clenched tightly. His hands turned into fists. She broke into a cold sweat when his feet suddenly moved. He covered the distance between them dangerously in three long strides. Stella gasped when he grabbed her hair with a fist. He clutched it tightly, but couldn't bring himself to hurt her in any way even though a part of him wanted to rip her apart right now. She went too far. _Way too far._ And for a costly mistake like that, she'll pay. _She'll pay for every word she just uttered._

He grabbed her tightly, resulting in a soft cry of pain from her. He ignored the way his heart numbed at that. He loosened his grip just a little, just enough to not hurt her anymore but not enough to let her see that. Stella looked at him afraid. She never saw him so lividly angry.

"You _bitch,_ " he hissed. "So you'll go that far? Then how about this? At least my parents are still alive while yours are in a box six feet below the ground!" he finished cruelly.

Brandon smirked cruelly as he watched Stella's jaw drop. Her eyes clouded with tears immediately. Her glistening eyes struck a chord in him and he knew that he hit a nerve as well. But he didn't care. After everything that he has done for her, she had _no_ right to treat him like a ragged doll. She had _no_ right to be presumptious without knowing any backstory. Tears brewed in his own eyes while watching her wounded face. His eyes held only a fleeting flicker of compassion before throwing it away.

He sharply let her go, trying his best to ignore her shaking body. Her knees buckled underneath her and she fell to the floor limply.

Tears fell from her face and he crossed his arms. He bent to her level.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" he spat mercilessly. "That's nothing compared to what I just felt."

She looked at him shakily. Her lips trembled as he stared at her with cold, dark eyes. The same eyes that showed her nothing but love just a few hours ago. He raked a hand through his hair and she cowered at the sudden movement, clearly afraid. He bore his eyes into hers intensely. His heart hurt at the wounds and pain reflected in her golden irises.

He hated hurting her. She has no idea how much he wants to kill himself right now. He wanted so badly to take her in his arms and comfort her, but the irrational part of him stayed put. He was definitely wrong to say such a thing especially to someone like her. _To someone he cherished with his whole life._ But what she said nearly broke him because he never imagined that she'd be the one to be so... _so heartless_. It was wrong of him to hurt the woman that he loved, but he was hurt too.

Ignoring her fear of him and chucking away the hurt he felt at that, he grasped her chin and turned it towards him. A tear fell down her cheek as she struggled to look into his eyes. "I'm not coming with you to Princeton," he said with zero emotion in his eyes. He moved forward and kissed her forehead softly and stayed there for a long moment before pulling back. He glanced at her face which was wide-eyed. The face he loved so much. The same face that entranced his dreams and consumed his every thought. "Take care of yourself, Stella."

He stood up suddenly and turned on his heel, leaving her on the floor without another glance. She never saw the way his brown depths glistened with tears. She was too indulged in his last words.

 _"Take care of yourself, Stella."_

She covered her mouth when she realized what it meant. She so wished that she was just overreacting. That she's wrong. Crystal tears fell from her eyes like a waterfall. She stared after his retreating figure. She knew what it meant. It was a...

 _A goodbye._

That was it. She covered her mouth as realization sunk into her soul. Her eyes stared dead ahead at him. It was her fault. Why couldn't she have kept her big mouth shut?! Why did she have to go as far as to hit a nerve and wound him so badly?!

This was it.

 _It was over._

 _ **It was really over between them.**_

She choked out a small sob. She hoped to wake up from this nightmare. She tried to swallow the pain and ignored how the tears fell faster. How could such a beautiful night end with a painful damnation? She hoped against hope that this was just a heart-breaking nightmare and that she'll wake up in his arms. _But..._

 _ **There's no worse nightmare than reality itself.**_

 **...**

* * *

 **So, I** _ **hope**_ **that wasn't too confusing. I'm expecting a few torches for breaking them up :o _Especially after a few chapters of die-hard romance xD_**

 **By the way, Skylar and Chris are _not_ useless characters that I just inserted in between. We'll see them again soon ;)**

 _ **Thank you for reading!**_

 **Please review if you can :)!**


	21. Valentines? No

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY!**

 ** _To my Valentine for life :_ Happy Valentines' Day, Mom! I love you so much! Thank you for choosing me as your daughter :") I'll see you in like ten seconds :P So get ready to serve me some 'Mom's specials' xD Love you, mom :") Love you forever and forever :")**

* * *

 **Next:**

 **A PISSED OFF AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **This is to address those 6 users who clearly can't respect someone and instead want to collectively bash me using obscene profanity.** For God's sake! This is _just a story!_ So please stop acting like I've split up Stella and Brandon in real life!

NOTE: Stella and Brandon are FICTIONAL characters. So I don't understand why I'm being blamed for this OMG. Okay and one more thing: THEY WILL GET BACK TOGETHER EVENTUALLY. All of my stories will have that. That's why it's called a Stella and Brandon story -_-

 **And second:**

 _ **Thank you so much to those who've shown me nothing but support and love. 19+ reviews! Thank you!**_ If you didn't understand what I was talking about in the above paragraph, then rest assure, _it's not for you._ Please do _not_ be offended. I was definitely addressing only a certain few.

And somehow...I still take the profanity as a compliment because on the bright side...I like to think that my writing was at least well enough to invoke such uh...provocative actions? I guess? Yeah, let's go with that.

 **Okay! I've blabbed enough.** _ **Moving on!**_

 **...**

* * *

 _ **One year later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - Residential Dorms - 4:00 PM ~**

"Girls! Can you believe this?!" Bloom exclaimed as she flopped onto her bed and practically threw her bag aside. Stella and Tecna laughed as they too joined Bloom. "Finally! The nightmare also known as college is out for vacation!" the redhead sighed a little too dreamily. Stella laughed and shook her head before whipping out her phone.

"So, who's got plans?" Tecna asked.

Bloom gushed dreamily. "I've only got one. Sky is planning to take me out for our one year anniversary."

Tecna sighed. "I swear I'll either kill you or Sky if I hear any more about your stupid date plans! This was the eighteenth time this week, Bloom! We get it!"

Stella laughed. She smiled and surfed randomly in her phone while absent-mindedly paying attention to her friends' banter.

"Okay okay. Jeez," Bloom held up her arms in surrender. "What about you, Tec?"

Tecna shrugged. "I don't know. Probably head home."

The redhead shook her head. "You and Timmy aren't going to meet up?"

Tecna shifted uncomfortably. "We kind of prefer to talk over the phone," she admitted with a blush on her cheeks, nearly matching the vibrant color of her hair. "What about you, Stel?" she asked, effectively shifting the redhead's attention towards the blonde.

Stella shrugged. "I'll be here," she said simply with a low warning in her voice, silently pleading for both of them to either drop the subject or shift their attention somewhere else. Bloom and Tecna glanced at each other with a frown but did their friend's bidding. They changed the topic and began talking about the recently released movie, something that Stella lost complete interest in.

Stella stared monotonously into the phone. She randomly scrolled around, not really paying attention to anything. Her mind was once more in a haywire. She absolutely hated vacation. She grew to hate it the second she...

She sighed as she felt herself being pulled into the past.

She hoisted herself from the bed and grabbed a fresh set of clothes from her wardrobe. She moved to the bathroom to change. She emerged a few minutes later wearing black and cyan sports track suit. She grabbed her phone and a pair of earphones before turning to her friends.

"Girls, I'm going for a run," she waved with a light smile before bolting out the door. Bloom and Tecna once again glanced at each other and sighed sadly. This has been going on for a month now.

"Think we should talk to her?" Bloom asked.

Tecna nodded. "Yeah. We can't just leave her here. She's even spent her whole summer in here."

* * *

 **~ 4:30 PM ~**

Stella jogged through the familiar roads of her campus. She ignored the chilling cold that nearly cut through her skin. Her eyes kept themselves trained to the road. Her breathing heaved slightly with each step that she took.

She looked around the quads of students around her. She bit her lip when she overheard many students being excited for Christmas. Too bad she couldn't share the same excitement.

Oh no. Not at all. She wasn't even close to at least remotely feel the ridiculous 'Christmas spirit'. She lost that. She lost that a long time. Her eyes glazed over just as they did countless times every time she thought _why._

She took a deep breath.

She knew why.

It was because of _him._ _ **Him.**_ Someone whom she once thought would become her world is now her worst nightmare. The mere mention of his name was enough to give her nightmares. It hurt too much. And it's even harder now especially since their breakup kind of ruined the holidays for her.

And it didn't help that Bloom and Tecna gushed occasionally over Sky and Timmy. Stella smiled as she thought of happy her friends are. She really was happy for them. Everytime her friends talked with Sky and Timmy, their faces would radiate with a surreal amount of happiness. Bloom and Sky had been an inseparable couple since gala night. Sky made frequent visits every now and then just to spend some dearly quality time with his girlfriend. Timmy didn't visit that often, but a single visit from him would send Tecna directly over the moon.

Seeing Sky and Timmy just kept reminding Stella of _him._ Her vision grew a little blurry as the image of a handsome brown-haired man conjured up in her head. _Why...?_ she asked herself as an involuntary tear rolled down her cheek.

 _"You BITCH," he spat angrily. "So you'll go that far? Then how about this? At least my parents are still alive while yours are in a box six feet below the ground!" he yelled, his eyes flashing with a burning red._

 _Stella's eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. Her lips quivered as tears brewed in her eyes. Did he just...?_

The brim of her eyes grew slightly wet. Stella took a deep breath as she relived the scene over and over again. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

Sweat glistened on her forehead just a little. She felt slightly warm from the body heat that she generated for herself. Finding an empty bench a few feet away, she hopped over there and slumped down on it. She breathed the fresh air, ignoring the way her skin prickled with cold.

 _Stella ran to her room and broke down crying. She sobbed heartbrokenly as she realized the underlying meaning of his words._

 _"I'm not coming to Princeton with you. Take care of yourself, Stella."_

 _He rarely called her by her full name unless he's royally pissed off at her._

 _Her back collided with the door. Her body slowly slumped down onto the cold floor. Her shoulders trembled with sobs racking throughout her whole body. She shut her eyes and let out a few shuddering breaths. She was struggling not to lose it right then and there. She felt so void and deprived of life._

 _ **Again.**_

 _For the third time. The breakup with Jason, her parents' death, and now...this._

 _She didn't know if she could handle a triple dose of grief like this. She wept as she struggled not to give in to a breakdown. No...a breakdown would only result in more never-ending pain. She allowed the agony to consume her like a wild forest fire. Whatever color she allowed to seep into her heart was no longer present. Instead, her world turned black and white yet once again._

There were times when she ran to him to vent her pain and frustrations out. But if he was the one who pushed her away, then who was she supposed to run to? Her parents passed away. Crudely speaking, they're dead. And now, the man she had willfully given out her heart to...told her to... _get lost._

 _"Then that's exactly what I'll do," Stella hissed to herself as tears streamed down her face. She frantically looked around the room. She suddenly felt claustrophobic and had the sudden urge to leave this room. She saw her packed suitcases. Since it's only been a few days since she's been here, she didn't even bother to unpack completely. Rushing over to her closet, she took out the few pairs resting on the hangers. Folding them neatly, she crushed them inside her suitcase. It didn't take her long to pack up everything._

 _She looked down at her dress and cried harder. Such a beautiful dress...it was meant to be worn for special occasions._

 _Stella took the dress off and wore something more suitable for a spontaneous run-away._

 _With shaking fingers, she took her phone. Her sobs only grew harder as her fingers frantically tapped around. She booked a cab. To her dismay, it was still five minutes away. Sniffling, she dragged her strollers to the living room. Thank God for luggage with wheels._

 _She went to the front door. Just as her fingers touched the lock, she found herself withdrawing automatically. Just once. She'll just see him once more. Just once._

 _Her shoes gently patted the floor as she neared his room. Her hands formed into a small, loose fist as she raised it up to knock on the door. She found herself unable to make even a small thump. Instead, her hand dropped to her side._

 _"B-Brandon...?" she said softly, silently pleading for him to stop her. She'll do_ _ **anything**_ _if he opens his door. She'll forget everything he said even though it hurt like hell._

 _But...he didn't. He didn't open the door. She knew that he was still awake. But even so, he chose not to open this door._

 _She choked on a small sob and turned on her heel. She ran back to the living room, her muffled cries becoming louder each passing second. Her phone suddenly beeped and Stella saw through her blurry eyes that her cab was here._

 _She raised her hand to unlock the door. Just as the lock clicked, she turned her head around hoping he came out hopping out his bedroom._

 _..._

 _Nothing._

 _Unable to bear it anymore, Stella harshly opened the door and ignored the sudden chill of cold air that swarmed through the front door. She took the strollers out and shut the door behind her. The cab driver took a good look at her and came out of the car. He glanced at her in sympathy as he took her bags. Stella thanked him silently._

 _"Please take me to the airport," she pleaded to which the driver nodded obediently._

 _Stella stiffened when she heard the front door being opened. She turned her head to the side before looking straight again._

 _"What exactly do you think you're doing?" an angry voice barked from behind._

 _A tear rolled down her cheek as she refused to turn around. Instead, she only reached for the door when she felt a hand clasp around her wrist. She flinched and shook it loose with such a force and bitterness that Brandon automatically let go with shock. "I'm leaving. Don't worry. I'll never bother you ever again," she managed to squeak._

 _She, without another second delay, opened the door and hopped inside of the cab. She ushered the cab driver to get a move on. Her eyes narrowed in pain when she saw a tear roll down Brandon's cheek through the mirror in the front._

 _"Goodbye, Brandon," she whispered to her tearfully as she looked out the window, never to glance back again._

Stella sat on the bench reminiscing that night. A lot has changed and happened since then. She didn't cry anymore but that doesn't meant that it didn't hurt. Oh it hurt.

A part of her still craved for his presence. _Not_ the part she was proud of having, but still. She sighed.

Her eyes no longer held the same twinkle. They no longer shined with the same happiness. And she blamed him. She blamed him for every tear she shed since that day. She blamed him for the countless sleepless nights she had spent crying over him.

That night, she took the next available flight to New Jersey and flew here immediately. She went to the house that Brandon and she rented out here. She emptied the house of her belongings and immediately stormed over to Princeton's residence halls in the middle of night. She had to call Bloom and Tecna during that time. They both freaked out when they found out that she was at college when they literally saw her a few hours ago dancing the night away. But they somehow managed to convince the warden to let her stay in their dorm.

And to Stella's relief, they both stormed to the dorm the very next day including Musa and Layla in tow. Stella felt bad for making them drive all the way here, but she was nonetheless grateful for it. With her friends around her, she realized how dependent she became. Her parents' death had been enough to shatter her spirit and now _this._

She never went back to the house again. She collected all of her things and paid extra to move in with Bloom and Tecna. And at the beginning of her second year at Princeton, she enrolled as a full-time residential student. She never even roamed through **_that_ **street by accident. She shut out anyone related to him. It didn't clearly help since Bloom broke the news that she and Sky were a thing now.

Oh well. Who said life was easy?

A few blonde strands escaped from Stella's high ponytail and clung to her face due to the wintry breeze. But for once, she didn't seem to mind. The second heartbreak of her life, yet somehow the more significant one, changed her. She didn't know if it was for the better or worse. The initial pain faded away and in its place, a sense of longing and bitter anger subsumed soon.

Her eyes flashed with fire. She'll _never_ forgive him for the things that he said to her. She only hoped that she could keep that promise. Because very soon...

She _knew_ that someday, she _will_ see him again.

It's not a matter of if...

It's just a matter of _when._

 **...**

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

 **~ Seattle, Washington - Local Time - 1:00 PM ~**

"Dr. Shields, please do reconsider our-"

A deep, rich voice immediately cut off the voice. "I've made my decision. The deal is off. Your prototypes violated one of the clauses for our requirements, Mr. Williams." Brandon Shields's eyes flashed with determination as he eyed the man sitting before him in a disdained fashion.

Mr. Blake Williams, CEO of Blake Industries (a little ego-centric, don't you think?), is a middle-aged man who considers himself as a heavy competitor to Shields Corporations. "Defects are quite common in any line of business. I'm sure you can understand that."

The dark-eyed brunette resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the pompous, arrogant old man. "Ninety defective products out of hundred is hardly anything but common. The deal is off," he repeated. "I'm sure you know the way out," Brandon slandered the man fuming in front of him.

Blake Williams stood up sharply while clutching his suitcase tightly. "You chose to insult one of the most prominent businesses in this industry. Is that your final answer?"

Brandon smirked as he didn't even bother to get up. "You chose to insult yourself by guessing that I'll _ever_ promote falsely manufactured products. And thus, _yes,_ this is and will be my final answer." He nodded towards the exit and Mr. Williams got the hint to instantly storm out the door without verbal instructions.

Brandon sighed and threw back his head. He leaned his back towards the lenient revolving chair, one of the many pleasantries of being a CEO. He shut his eyes for a few moments before opening them once again. He pressed the intercom button.

"Yes, Dr. Shields?" a female voice answered through the phone.

"Forward all of my calls for today. And reschedule any meetings or appointments," he ordered into the phone.

"Yes, sir," his secretary nodded in obedience.

He released his finger from the button and relaxed once more. He took off his suit jacket and hung it over the arm rest. His crisp white dress shirt plastered to his frame, revealing his drool-worthy muscular arms and broad chest. He stared up at the ceiling blankly. His eyes and expressions were devoid of any emotion. His dark browns pupils, which were once colored with life, now appeared dead and vacant.

And he knew the reason why.

He _knew._

His heart throbbed with torment and misery as he struggled for the umpteenth time to _not_ think about _**her.**_

He shut his eyes and let out a deep shuddering breath. He can't...he just can't keep doing this over and over again. Any lone moment he wasn't occupied with...always _forced_ him to think about _her_ again. What is she doing now? What is she wearing? Is she eating right? How much did she change?

Instead of spending some quality time with her, he's stupidly hoping against hope for just a chance to see her again.

 _"B-Brandon?" her soft voice trembled with an anxiety as she stood outside his room. Little did she know that he had been standing right in front of the door itself the whole time. His fingers simply held the knob, but didn't dare turn it._

And he paid for that mistake clearly. _No, no,_ it was no mistake. It's almost a _sin_. An act of transgression that deprived him of the woman he loved and treasured well above his life. If things had gone according to plan, then their first Christmas together would've consisted of him professing his undying love for her.

After leaving her in the hall like that, he never realized how much those words broke him.

It wasn't her fault that they're split up now.

 _No way._

If anything, it was all his fault. And _only his._

She hadn't done anything wrong. She only spoke the truth. However, she hadn't known any backstory between him and his father. She doesn't even have the slightest clue as to why they're in frenemies zone now. But he did. He _knew_ and _understood_ the impact of his irrational choice of cutting open her wounds. He clearly disrespected her late parents, whom he also saw as his own parents. He disrespected them by injuring their daughter in the worst way possible.

He remembered her broken voice. How tumultous it had sounded while she called his name like that.

His sweet ray of sunshine had given him a second chance again. _A chance he clearly didn't deserve._ He was almost scared to open the door because he didn't want to accept that it was him who scarred her. He didn't want to see her hurt-filled eyes. So he stayed put and didn't allow his itching hand to open the stupid door.

 _And that cost him._

He paid the price dearly because after that, he drowned into an oblivion of depression that he never got out of.

 _A tear slid down his cheek as he watched the blonde leave hastility in the cab she booked for herself._

He shut his eyes as tears threatened to swirl once more.

Saying her name was too painful. It is all the more painful because the breakup between them literally killed him. He dissolved himself into his career, hoping that it would get his mind off of her. It nearly worked. He became successful. He became _Dr._ Brandon Shields. He became a renowned businessman who not only scored high profits but also played tactfully in one of the most avarice-filled industries.

But what use is that? What is the use of having fancy awards graze your shelves when your heart is too numb to savor the sweet success?

He considered himself blessed to receive updates about Stella's welfare through Sky. But it instantly sent a jolting pang through his heart when Sky informed him that Stella silently pleaded him to leave her alone for a while.

A part of him was happy for that information but the majority of him broke down. He's happy because she missed him too. And he broke down because she's suffering because of him. Something he detested.

 _One whole year..._

A day hasn't gone by where he didn't think of her. She was the source of his heartbreak, but he didn't regret loving her. He didn't regret loving her even though it hurt so much.

There were so many times that he wished to hop on a plane and go see her. But he always backed out at the last second. He knew for _sure_ that she wouldn't forgive him any time soon. What he said to her was unforgivable even to him. And that was why he chose not to meet her once more.

He's also afraid. There is very well a chance that she might've moved on from him. There is no way he'll ever prepared to see that. So he stopped asking Sky for those nosy updates.

But the _worst_ part of this is that...he felt as if he died twice when his phone pinged one day. His eyes literally popped out when he saw a rather _large_ sum being deposited into his bank account along with a text telling him to take back the properties he wrote on her name. It stung him tremendously to know how she calculated their relationship on a few dollar bills. It hurt. It hurt _a lot._ Was their relationship based on... _ **money**_?!

A tear slid down his cheek as he remembered his every moment with her. Every pulsing instant of time with her hasn't been forgotten. _Please come back to me, baby. Please, please, please..!_ He prayed with nothing but desperation in his tone. His body shook with vulnerability. His shoulders tremored as he found himself breaking down into oblivion again.

Tears cascaded down his cheeks freely. He was never the type to be upset for long, let alone cry. But...a heartbreak upon heartbreak was just too much too bear. It was...too much to handle. _Too much to carry for one person._

He cried as sobs racked his large body.

He prayed to God every single day for just _one_ opportunity to see her again.

 _A chance._

Because a chance is all he needed.

 _To set things right._

 _ **...**_

* * *

 **OKAY. I DESERVE AN OSCAR FOR MY EFFORTS. Jk. But seriously though. This is my SECOND time writing the whole chapter and I'll tell you why.**

 **I accidentally deleted the entire content of the word document which was supposed to be chapter 21. I nearly had a meltdown because I was like ten seconds away from uploading. So I wrote down the ENTIRE chapter again. You guys better thank me for this -.-**

 ** _PLEASE REVIEW!_**


	22. We Meet Again

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **I want to address this user first before moving on:**

 **TO THOSE _RUDE_ REVIEWERS _(YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE)_ :**

 **I'VE NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED AND HURT BY** _ **SOME**_ **OF YOU** **USERS.** _ **EVER.**_

I CAN'T BELIEVE that people are so 'disappointed' and are resorting to use harsh words because I haven't updated in SIX DAYS. _**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REALIZE THAT I'M A HUMAN BEING WITH A REAL LIFE.**_

 **I'M NOT AN AUTHOR IN REAL LIFE. I'M A 19-YEAR OLD, ENGINEERING STUDENT WITH HECTIC SCHEDULES AND WHO CONSTANTLY STUDIES AND DEVOTES HER TIME TO ACADEMICS.**

 **EACH CHAPTER TAKES ME AROUND 2-3 hrs AND IT'S ALL I CAN SPARE _FOR NOW_. **

**IT'S NOT THAT FREAKING EASY TO WRITE SOMETHING. MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY IT SOMETIME AND SEE HOW HARD IT IS. WRITING IS MY PASTIME AND HOBBY.** **NOT MY LIFE.**

Requesting me to update is one thing. But humiliating me by saying that I'm not a sincere author is really hurtful. I've updated regularly & to the best of my ability for the past 21 chapters. But because I've been absent for almost a week, I'm getting bashed?!

I'm really sad that no one even bothered to ask if something was wrong with me. **FYI, I'm in the hospital at the moment because I've been in an accident involving a drunk driver. One of my legs is fractured and the other is broken. So I'll be roaming in a wheel for the next month or so (bummer). I've been stuck with a heavy fever because of major blood loss. Not that many of you seem to care, but, yes, that's the reason.**

 _ **SO EXCUSE ME IF I WAS FOCUSED ON HEALING INSTEAD OF WRITING.**_

If I'm being _really honest,_ the injuries I got from the accident hurt way less than what some of you guys said. I'm not even kidding.

 **I wrote this chapter while being the hospital because my mom finally decided to let me relax and use my laptop. I was soooooo excited to write another chapter, but I can't believe I'm devoting my time to this stupid AN.**

* * *

 **NOTE: I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE VERY FEW WHO ARE SCOLDING ME IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. THE REST OF YOU: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. This chapter is dedicated to you guys :) I tried my best to write it from the bottom of my heart like I always do, but as you can see...I'm not in a great space right now thanks to a drunken idiot and rude people.**

* * *

 **~ Princeton University - Residential Halls - 7:30 PM ~**

"Girls, I'm back!" Stella yawned as she slammed the door behind her.

"Oh good, you're back!" Bloom bounced on her cyan blue sheets of the thick mattress. Tecna scratched her head in annoyance at the redhead's unusual and irritating chippery attitude. They were sitting on their respective beds with their pajamas on. Bloom wore a revealing bright blue silk crop top with white cotton shorts. Tecna resorted to a more modest set of pajamas which was a lilac green with purple stripes.

"I need a shower," Stella shuddered feeling a little gross at the accumulated sweat on her clothes. She grabbed her nightgown from the closet and marched to the bathroom. Stella stripped and stepped into the shower.

She shut her eyes when she felt the hot water instantly warming her frozen muscles. However, she didn't choose to indulge in the tingling pleasure. Instead, her eyes glossed over with hurt as she struggled not to remember _him_ again. She's been thinking of him a lot lately. Well, to be honest, she thought of him everyday.

She wondered how different things would be right now had they both shut their mouths that day. Who knows? Maybe they were gonna break up anyway in the future. Maybe what they had was just infatuation and nothing else. Maybe it was just attraction between them but mistaken as love.

Even so, it probably would've been better if they had split up under a mutual agreement or something. This was too painful. A day hasn't gone by where she didn't wonder what might've happened if that fight never occurred in the first place.

She never glanced back that day. She never paid a visit to the house she lived in with him in NJ. Not even an accidental fleeting glance. It still hurts so much. But most of all...

Stella's hazel brown eyes flashed with anger. She wanted a chance.

 _A chance for payback._

She wanted him to know how much he hurt her. He nearly broke her again and she'll _never_ forgive him for that. A part of her wanted to inflict the same pain on him but...

Stella's eyes swirled with tears. No...she can't. She just can't. Another and major part of her wished him nothing but happiness and joy. Most of all, she wanted to him to apologize just once. And she knew she'd run back in his arms again. Her breath hitched suddenly. What if...what if he _didn't_ feel the same way anymore? Of course he wouldn't. He probably found a lively and vivacious woman already.

She's not worth that much. She was broken and bruised. But his love healed her within no time. At the same time, it broke her again. He became such an important person in her life that any negative word against her from him hurt her to no end. She wanted to be better for him. She wanted to make a better version of herself... _just for him_.

She sniffled. She's not going to cry. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry over him again. It was done. Now wasn't the time to cry anymore.

She took a deep breath and turned off the shower. She quickly got dressed and threw the used clothes in the laundry basket. She opened the door and stepped into the room. Ruffling her hair, Stella bounced onto her beloved bed.

She picked up her phone and unlocked with a swipe and pin.

Bloom and Tecna looked at each other, ushering one another to initiate a conversation. Stella looked up, clearly having heard their annoying whispery voices. "Um...what are you doing?" she asked them with an amused smile. Tecna coughed and scratched her bobbed hair whereas Bloom looked like a deer caught in headlights.

The redhead shrugged off and got up from her bed. She climbed onto Stella's yellow-orange pristine covers. Tecna followed suit. Soon, the three sat in a small circle.

Stella glanced at them one after the other.

"Um...girls?" the blonde crossed her arms a little pointedly.

"Listen, Stell...we love you, okay? Can't you come up to New York with us?" Bloom asked crestfallen.

Stella shut her eyes for a moment and opened them again. "What part of 'I want to stay here' didn't you understand?" she muttered crossly.

"Stella, stop being foolish! We're not letting you stay cooped up in here!" Tecna glared.

"I don't even live in New York! I can't go with you just because you want me to!" Stella pathetically defended herself even though everyone knew the real reason.

"You can stay with Musa and Layla!" Bloom huffed.

Stella rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to freeload off them, thanks. I'd rather stay here and study or do whatever."

"Who studies during Christmas?!" Bloom yelled incredulously. Tecna shot the redhead a glare. "I do!"

Bloom gave Tecna a look to which the latter ignored.

"Okay then. Don't come to New York. Just don't stay here. No one's gonna stick around this campus except for uber nerds," Bloom remarked earning yet another scoff from Tecna.

"Is it because of...?" Tecna asked lowly with a small sigh.

Stella's eyes dimmed visibly and she shot a silent pleading look towards her friends but they seemed oblivious to it.

"Stella, come on. You're better than this-" Bloom started but was immediately cut off.

"Bloom, I know you care for me. I really do but you have Sky. And..." Stella trailed off when tears swirled in her brown eyes.

"You still love Brandon, don't you?" Bloom asked softly while Tecna held the blonde's shoulder for support.

Stella let out a small inaudible gasp. She hasn't spoken his name in a long while. If, by chance, his name _did_ come up in conversations, she automatically left the table. That's the kind of freak she became. So far driven away that saying or hearing his name itself is a painful blow to her already wounded heart.

A tear slipped down her cheek, giving the answer that her friends seeked.

Yes.

 _She still loved him._

* * *

 **~ Seattle, Washington - Local Time - 5:00 PM ~**

Brandon Shields looked out the window and absentmindedly watched the people down below working and carrying on their business. He sighed and looked in front of him.

 _"Ladies and gentlemen, the captain has switched on the seat belt sign. Please fasten your seat belts."_

He buckled his seat belt and leisurely sat back in his seat.

He closed his eyes slowly, hoping to drift off into a mindless sleep. Otherwise, his mind would cruelly wander to one girl. The same girl that has done nothing but torment him and give him daymares.

He's currently on the plane back to New York. He jumped on a plane to Seattle a few months ago to take care of the branch over there. At least that's the excuse he's been telling himself. But deep down, he only wanted to get away for a while because his house never felt so alone and deprived of life before.

But he couldn't stay back anymore. He wanted to be at his house for this Christmas. Even though it'll probably be hell living there now, he still wanted to be there. Since he's the reason who drove her away, he needed to redeem that at least a little by tormenting himself further.

 **...**

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - New Jersey - 5:00 PM ~**

Stella sighed as she marched up the familiar driveway. Biting her lip nervously, she fisted her hand to knock on the door. She sighed as she knocked twice before letting her hand fall back to the sides.

Her eyes flicked with pain and longing but only for a fleeting moment. She ached to see the familiar face again. Her breath hitched when the door opened revealing a tall, handsome brunette at the door.

His jaw dropped open for a few seconds. Stella nervously fidgeted with her fingers as their eyes locked with each other. Suddenly, the brunette's eyes flared wildly in anger before je moved to slam the door in her face.

Stella gasped at the reaction and crossed her arms with a small pout. _For real?_

A second later, the front door opened once more revealing the brunette once again. "I can't believe you have the _nerve_ to show up here," he muttered before grabbing her wrist and letting her inside.

"Hey, Jay," Stella greeted weakly as Jay closed the door.

"My goodness! You remember me?!" Jay's eyes widened in mock surprise.

Stella fell silent. He kind of has a point. She literally shut herself out from the people she cared about. And if they're even _remotely_ related to Brandon, then she didn't even bother with them. That was harsh, but she was hurt too. It was her way of dealing with the pain.

"It's been a year, Stella. _A whole year._ And now you suddenly it's okay to waltz back? Do you really expect me to pretend like you're my friend again?" Jay crossed his arms.

Stella sighed sadly and shook her head. "No...I...I came to apologize. I'm so sorry, Jay," she said with a cracked voice.

She felt tears in her eyes when Jay stretched his arms wide open. It took her no time to hug him tightly. He's like the brother she never had and she shouldn't have pushed him away. What happened with Brandon and her was no one's fault except their own.

"What the hell happened with you two?" Jay asked pulling away.

Her face fell. "I don't want to talk about it."

Jay's features softened at her sad face. "Stella...it's been a year. Do you have any idea what your breakup did to us? To...him?"

Stella winced but sourly looked away. "For your information, it's HE who told me to get lost. And that's exactly what I did."

"Stella, come on. You know he didn't-"

She shot him a small glare and hissed for him to shut up. "Can we not talk about my ex-relationship?! I'm here because I wanted to see you."

Jay sighed. How can he have a peace of mind while talking to her? To say that he was shocked about this breakup would be the biggest _understatement_ of this century. But what hurt him the most is that Stella had completely refused to pick up his calls. She didn't even believe him. She didn't have faith in their friendship and she totally forgot that he was there for her.

And from his friend's perspective...Jay didn't even want to think about Brandon's plight. While Jay didn't eactly have a clear idea of what went wrong, he knew that Brandon was at fault. Stella is not the type to just pack up and run off. Besides...every time Jay looked at his friend, he saw nothing but guilt, regret, sadness, and pain being reflected in those eyes.

Jay sighed. _What the hell went wrong?_ He didn't even want to fathom the hell Brandon lived in the first few months. It's almost as if...he just died. He became a living yet hollow shell. Even he shut everyone off. It's clear that he's breaking down on the inside because of the breakup. Stella wasn't and isn't just his fling, crush, or pastime. She became his everything so quickly that it took him no hesitation to state that he loved her well above his own life.

But after the breakup...he completely changed. It scared Jay a lot because Brandon hadn't been this closed off and broken even during his first heartbreak. This double dose of grief is too cruel for any man to handle all on his own. And looking at Stella, Jay thought that she looked like a mess too. Her innocent and naivete behavior was gone.

She looked so mature and strong. Nothing like the old and sweet blonde. This new one seemed so independent and almost fierce. Jay sighed in disappointment. _When will they realize that they need each other again?_

* * *

 _ **Two hours later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - Residence Halls - 7:30 PM ~**

Stella smiled a little to herself as she walked through the familiar hallways. She stopped when she neared her door. She knocked on the door and to her relief, it opened immediately. Pushing her way past in, she purposefully ignored the concerned glances that were being directed at her.

"You do realize I can notice you both staring, right?" the blonde said dully as she threw her sling bag to the side before removing her shoes and heading straight for her bed.

"Well. Excuse us for being worried," Bloom snapped. Tecna frowned in agreement.

Stella drew her knees till her chest. "...I'm sorry, girls. I know I'm being a major party pooper this past month..."

"If you're really sorry, come with us," Tecna intervened. Stella looked up with a sharp snap. Her eyes clearly revolted the idea.

Bloom sighed. "Stella, we care about you. NYC is a pretty big city. Chances of you running into...him are slim to none."

"...If you love us, then come with us, _please._ We don't want you to spend the Christmas alone," Tecna sighed.

Stella let out an inaudible sigh. She didn't want to go. Of course she knew that she wouldn't be running into Brandon any time soon, but the city itself appeared like a dark cloud to her.

Bloom crossed her arms. "Okay...then how about this? If you're not going, neither will we."

Stella's eyes widened. "You can't be-!"

"We're serious. So what'll it be? Yes or no? If you're gonna say yes, we need to pack. If no, then we need to get some junk food to spend the holidays with. Either way, we got a lot of work to do. So, yes or no?"

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 9:30 AM ~**

"Fine. Yes. I'll admit. I feel ridiculous by refusing to come," Stella groaned as she looked out her window and noticed the buildings passing by. "So why am I not driving again? It is _my_ car, you know!"

Tecna grinned and flipped her bangs to the side. "We don't want to risk you taking a U-turn back to campus." Stella rolled her eyes while Bloom laughed. The blonde couldn't help the sigh escaping from her lips nor could she stop the depression that she sunk herself into. It was ironic thinking back to how happy she once was. If someone had told her that she'll be heartbroken last year, she'd laugh in their face and dismiss it nothing more than a mere and stupid notion.

She didn't really didn't want to her friends' houses. She didn't have a home here anymore. And that's exactly what she told them. She'd stay with Musa and Layla for a day or two at the max before...deciding what to do.

Stella zoned out her friends' conversations as she looked out the window. Thankfully, they didn't bother her much other than occasional light-hearted banters.

 **...**

* * *

 _ **Many hours later...**_

 **~ New York City, New York - 8:30 PM ~**

"Hello?" an older woman spoke through the phone. Heather Shields paused for a few moments before she momentarily dropped the phone in shock. She covered her mouth in disbelief as tears of happiness sprung to her soft, motherly eyes.

She held the phone away for a moment before turning around. "L-Lucas!"

She turned her attention back into the phone. She gripped the handset tightly. "A-Are you sure?" she asked frantically. She waited impatiently for the answer she desperated wanted or, yet rather, _needed._ She let out an audible gasp as she heard the reply. She set the phone cord back into the receiver absentmindedly as she stood there in shock.

"Heather? What's wrong?!" Lucas marched into the living room of their home with concern spread over all of his features.

Heather smiled happily and let out a small cry of happiness before uttering the words she never thought she'd say. "...Stella. She's back."

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Brandon's Home - 9:00 PM ~**

Brandon Shields opened the door to his cold and hollow home monotonously. He pushed his luggage inside before slamming the door behind him. He stood there for a few moments examining nothing in particular. A deafening silence greeted him. He sighed. Oh well. What else is new?

He unbuttoned his jacket and threw it on the sofa in the living room. He loosened his tie before slumping down into the soft, white cushions. _So much for returning._ He got on the plane yesterday and landed here late at night. Instead of coming home, he chose to chicken out and spend the night in a hotel. He rolled back his stiff wide shoulders. With a groan, he threw his head back tiredly. He shut his eyes slowly and breathed.

His home was completely cold. He had opted to turn off all the heaters during his hiatus the past few months. But the cold, as usual, didn't bother. He opened his eyes wistfully as he remembered how much his Stella _despised_ the awful wintry nights. He thought coming back to his house would reopen his wounds and make him bleed further, but oddly...it was strangely comfortable. He thought about her even more now. Yes, the scars he carefully stitched up were now shred apart. But this was the kind of hurt that was painful but also pleasureable at the same time. He hated and, at the same time, loved dreaming about her.

A small smile played on his lips as he relived in their memories over and over again.

 _"You can't catch meeeeeeeeeeee!" Stella happily laughed as she ran through the empty backyard, which is also another name for a few acres. Her laugh, so innocent and so full of life, made his eyes dance with the same amount of happiness as he laughed trying to catch the beautiful blonde. He watched with fascination as her long and thick wavy hair danced to her movements. Even in the night, her hair glowed with a lustrous shine and her eyes shimmered with pools of liquid gold that never ceased to captivate him._

 _Stella squealed and let out a small, startled scream when she saw him gaining up on her. "This is so not fair!" she huffed as she tried to dodge his arms which were desperately trying to crush her back to him._

 _He chuckled as Stella turned around. "What's not fair?"_

 _"The fact that you have longer legs than I do! You should've given me a ten-minute headstart!" she explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "Don't touch me!" she yelped as he loosely made another attempt to grab her again._

 _"Give me one reason why I shouldn't," he smirked as he lunged for her one last time. Stella let out a groan of defeat. "I give up. I'll never win in tag and I'll never get out of watching horror movies with you," she hit his shoulder._

 _He chuckled as he pinched her cheek affectionately. He tightened his arms around her. "Wanna try again?" he smirked._

 _She rolled her eyes. "For what? So I can get caught in the next minute itself?"_

 _She regretted ever agreeing to the bet that he came up with. Escape his clutches for_ one minute _and he'll set her free from an everlasting doom filled with horrific screeches and terror-filled sound effects. And she had no idea why the hell she was stupid enough to agree to this._

 _He chuckled. "Hey, it wasn't me who forced you into this," he smirked in amusement._

 _"I'm being forcibly forced into watching them now! I'll never understand your supernatural fetish for that stupid genre! Nope. Change the rules right now._ I refuse _to get nightmares at night because of those movies," she said stubbornly while stabbing him in the chest with an index finger._

 _"If you get nightmares..." he drawled lazily with a smirk on his face. His lips travelled to her ear and Stella knew that he'd say something that would make her resemble a ripe tomato. "...then come and sleep with me," he smirked against her cheek. Stella's eyes widened as she let out a small gasp at the double meaning in his statement. Her cheeks flushed a bright red at his words and husky tone. He started to laugh at her flustered state before he opened his mouth again. "I was just talking about sleeping NEXT to me, Stel. I had no idea you wanted me to mean it_ that _way," he smirked._

 _Stella blushed again and covered her face in his jacket. "Oh god, oh god, oh god," she chanted over and over as she blushed a bright crimson. He continued to laugh at her misery and expense, much to her chagrin._

 _"You're a jerk," she mumbled with a soft smile on her face. She wrapped her arms around his torso and relished in his warmth._

 _"And you're beautiful," he mused while kissing her exposed cheek. "Let's go back inside," he removed her from him gently. He placed a free hand in his pocket while another travelled around her waist. She wrapped an arm around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder._

 _"I just won the bet, by the way," he smirked._

 _She groaned. "Stop ruining the moment! Can't you tell I'm daydreaming right now?!" she yelled shrilly making him chuckle._

Brandon's glinted with remorse and sorrow.

 _I'm so sorry, Stell..._ he shut his eyes. _I'm so sorry for hurting you, baby._

He took a deep breath to suppress the lump forming in his throat. He raked a hand through his tousled chestnut hair.

He jerked lightly when his phone rang out of nowhere, startling him. Sighing, he took it out from his pocket. He frowned when he saw Jay's caller ID. _What now?_

It's not that he didn't want to talk to Jay. Or anyone for that matter. He just...preferred to be left alone. He preferred this solitary and lonely life he crafted for himself. He didn't want to hurt anybody else. Not the way he hurt his sweet ray of sunshine. He couldn't even muster the courage to go to her and apologize. He didn't want her to tell him that she won't forgive him. He sure wouldn't if he was in her place. The chord that he chose to hit...the nerve that he chose to damage...he can't repair that mistake easily.

AND, he didn't want to live to see the day where she would actually move on from him. Maybe...she already did. _What if...she really did?_

He quickly swiped to answer before he went nuts at even remotely entertaining that possibility. "Hello?" he answered sharply.

The next five words that he uttered made him jerk up in his seat. He stood up with a jolt. The sleepiness and tiredness was suddenly nowhere to be found. His lips parted open with incredulity while his thoughts frailed wildly in a cluttered disarray. His hand slowly swayed down to his side. He gripped the phone tightly as he stared dead ahead.

 _"Stella came here yesterday evening."_

It's a lie. NO, she couldn't have done that. She didn't. His jaw clenched tightly anxiously as his heart felt as if someone had been squeezing it.

 _Silence._

Stella chose to remain silent and off the radar for one whole year. **_One year._** She kindly told Sky to get lost in the nicest way possible. Okay, that was a little rude, but still. She _did_ ask Sky to respect her privacy to which the blonde-haired man did. Forget Sky. She practically pushed everyone away who was associated with Brandon. And the brunette had been happy and sad, at the same time, to hear that news. Happy because...she still had feelings for him. Sad because...well, she's suffering like him too. And...now Brandon suddenly hears that...she's coming out? So does this mean that she's okay now? Is she _really_ okay?

His phone rang once again which sent chilled shivers down his spine. His eyes narrowed when he saw his mom calling. His eyebrows furrowed together in concern before he swiped to answer. "Mom?" he asked in concern.

He scratched his head. "Uh...can you slow down? I can't even understand what you're saying!" he muttered, shaking his head at how fast Heather just spoke. He repeated for her to calm down again.

 _And he wished that he hadn't._

His sleek black phone dropped to the carpetted floor in an instant. His heart thudded loudly against his chest as a million thoughts raced through his mind. He hoped against hope that she hadn't found anyone else. He may have the strength and courage to stand in front of a bullet for her, but he'll never have the same tenacity to acknowledge another's man presence beside her.

 _"Stella is back. She's in New York."_

He shut his eyes tightly as his hand fisted around his locks. _God, no. Please, no._

* * *

 **~ 10:30 PM ~**

Layla dabbed a tissue into her eyes to keep the tears at bay. Musa chugged some more popcorn into her mouth, completely ignoring her brunette best friend. Stella, too, stuffed the deliciously fatty butter popcorn into her mouth as tears threatened to pool into her eyes. The blonde let out a choked sob and it didn't take long for the two of them to follow suit. And soon, the trio of best friends were bawling loudly at the tragedy taking place in front of them.

"Oh my God, nooo!" Musa wailed while stuffing her face with the snacks laying around them.

"Noahhhh!" Layla, too, cried.

"Noooooo!" Stella screamed as she threw the popcorn at the TV's face in anger.

The three sat there crying and eating while their all-time favorite movie, _The Notebook._ That movie will never old or lose its worth or value no matter how many it's being watched. They cried as the screen slowly started to fade. The main characters, Noah and Allie, just... _died._

What is more painful than watching two lovers die? Noah and Allie practically set the foundation stone for true love believers!

The credits started to roll with Ryan Gosling's name as the first one.

"BEST MOVIE EVER!" Musa dreamily smiled through her tears. "I would kill for a guy like Noah!"

Stella raised her hand in agreement. "Amen."

The second she said that, her eyes dimmed but not enough for her friends to notice. She dropped Bloom and Tecna at their respective homes before waltzing into Musa's and Layla's condo. And since then, she had done nothing but chill with her friends. It had actually been a refreshing experience. It was actually easier than she thought. She thought that she would start crying the second she came to this city, but so far... _nothing._ She dismissed her stupid insecurities and thoughts aside before paying attention to the banter going on.

"Girls. We need a break," Musa announced. "How about some ice cream?!"

Stella facepalmed. "Who the hell eats ice cream after watching a tragedy?"

Layla stayed silent but frowned just a little.

"C'mon, girls! The night is still young and frankly, so are we!" Musa stood up while grabbing her friends' arms. "Get up, you oafs!" she yelled.

Stella groaned while Layla didn't make a peep.

Musa clapped her hands. "Get ready! We have a bucket of fat to gorge down! No dillying and no dallying!" she protested while ushering the two to a bedroom. She pushed each of them into a different one before shutting their doors. Musa's smile fell as she raced into the kitchen with her phone. Her eyes narrowed as she opened her cell and dialled a very familiar number.

 _"We'll be there in thirty minutes."_

* * *

 **~ 10:55 PM ~**

It wasn't long before the trio hopped into Layla's car. Stella donned a simple pair of jeans with a brown sweater paired to with brown leather boots to match. She left her hair in the open with a black headband to push back the unwanted free strands.

Musa sighed dreamily as she sat back. "I can totally get used to this," she mused.

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Get used to what? Spontaneous midnight ice cream?"

The midnight blue-haired friend grinned wolfishly. "Of course! You should totally try it, Stel."

"After tonight, I doubt she'll try anything at night," Layla muttered under her breath but low enough for only Musa to hear. The latter shot a defying glare to the brunette and signalled for her to shut up. Musa sat between Layla and Stella in the front row of the car seats.

"What was that?" Stella asked with a yawn.

Layla tightly smiled and focused her attention on her driving. "Nothing." Though it was late at night, the still-buzzling city of New York didn't show any signs of going to sleep yet.

* * *

 **~ 11:10 PM ~**

Stella placed her hands into the sweater's pockets. She breathed a sigh of relief as the trio entered the cozy little ice cream shop called _Sugar Rush._ How appropriate.

Stella's skin tingled as the warm air collided with her frozen skin, a result of her walking from the parked car to the restaurant. She eyed the shop which didn't have many people. Good. She really didn't feel like listening to the noisy chatter of random people. There were a few couples here and there with little children bouncing around. Christmas-themed music played through the store's speakers, filling the store with a heartwarming ambience.

"Let's go and order," Layla said as she pointed to the small group of people who were gathered in a little line. Stella nodded as they both went to the line. Meanwhile, Musa made sure that she wasn't being closely observed before texting someone to come inside in a few minutes.

"Musa, stop texting Riven for one second, would you?!" Stella rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms and ushered for her friend to join them. Musa grinned and gave a thumbs up and hopped to the line. She joined the two girls. Musa anxiously locked her eyes with the door every other second. Each time the door chimed, she automatically redirected her attention towards it.

"We'll have two triple chocolate sundaes with choco chips on top and one butterscotch froyo," Layla ordered. The sales boy nodded and punched in a few numbers into the cash counter before asking them to pay. Stella pushed Layla as she whipped out her credit card.

"Stell, I got it-" Layla started.

The blonde swiped her card without further notice. "It's fine, Lay," Stella smiled as she typed in her pin. Layla glanced at Musa and sighed when the latter's attention is clearly somewhere else. Okay, Stella will definitely have their brains for broth in the breakfast tomorrow morning for this stunt!

 _ **A few minutes...**_

"Musa, are you okay?" Stella asked in concern while flopping into a chair opposite her friends. For some reason, Musa looked really on edge ever since she came into the store. She just seemed really...jumpy and shaking.

"Uh sure. Yeah, why do you ask?"

"No reason?" Stella shrugged with a raised eyebrow. Layla rolled her eyes and looked away while quietly eating her sundae. If Stella knew the real reason that they're all here at the moment, they would both be dead meat. And somehow, Musa didn't look too worried about that.

"I think we're the reason," a familiar voice spoke from behind.

Stella's eyes widened. Her body instantly and visibly stiffened as her mouth turned completely dry. She gasped when she turned around. She stood up to see Heather and Lucas Shields standing not less than a few feet away and glaring straight at her with nothing but reproachment and disappointment in their eyes.

Stella's eyes wore off the shock slowly as she turned to the side. She threw a death glare at each of her 'so-called' friends, _especially_ at Musa. _HOW COULD THEY?! How could they betray her like this?!_ Ice cream?! Yeah, right! When this is over, she is definitely breaking their friendship off (not really). She needed to give them each a few pieces of her mind.

She turned back to her supposed in-laws who were quickly approaching her.

"Long time no see," Heather's hard voice greeted the blonde.

Stella opened her mouth to respond when her lips started to quiver. A chill ran through her spine as she completely lost her voice. It seemed as if she was surreally turned into stone when her eyes found themselves staring into a _very familiar_ pair of molten chocolate colored orbs through the transparent glass and across the parking lot among a group of families. It was just for a split second before she lost sight of them. But she's not stupid enough to report it as a hallucination or a trick being played by her grieving mind. She wasn't dreaming. She _swore_ that she just saw...

... _Brandon..._

 ** _An hour or so earlier..._**

Brandon Shields looked at his phone with shaking hands.

 _Sugar Rush. 11:30 PM_

That was all. It was a text from his mom. He wasn't stupid or naive. He gets two back-to-back phone calls about his ex-flame being back in town. And now a text with a random address and time.

He checked his watch. It was _11:15 PM._

Brandon paused for a few seconds debating on whether or not to go before he shot out of bed. There was no question to this. He hadn't seen her for an year. ONE WHOLE YEAR. And now he wasn't going to miss an opportunity to get a glimpse of her.

He sprinted in and out of his closet wearing a suitable set of clothes for this weather before dashing out of his home in a frantic hurry. His fingers fumbled messily with the car keys as he struggled to open the driver's seat. To his irritation, it opened after a few tries.

He hopped inside the car before pulling it out of the driveway. If he didn't live in a less populated neighborhood, he would have gotten a ticket for threatening to endanger the safety of other citizens. His eyes narrowed as he drove faster along the streets. He zipped left and right not caring about how fast he went. He didn't care if he got a ticket for a few hundred dollars.

 _Just a glimpse of her._

It was worth it. No questions asked and no hesitations raised.

Brandon's heart hammered loudly as he sat there surprised at how quickly _Sugar Rush_ came into view. This was unfair. He kind of half-hoped that the little store never came into view and he could keep on driving like that for a while. But noooooo. Luck was never on his side and fate constantly screwed with him.

 _Heh._

He noticed his parents' car in the parking lot and opted to park his car somewhere else. He didn't park it anywhere near the glass windows of the restaurant. Instead, he parked it behind a wall.

Brandon turned off the ignition. He raised his hand to open the door but found himself unable to turn the handle. _What was he doing? What was even happening?_ He inhaled deeply. He shakily coiled his fingers around the door's handle before turning it open. He stepped out into the cold air. A soft wind blew through the air, not that he chose to give a damn.

He stepped onto the sidewalk and debated on how to do this. He didn't want to face her. He wasn't ready yet and frankly...he didn't know when he will be. His eyes lit up when he saw a groups of teens and adults huddling around a Christmas tree in front of the store. Looking down at the floor, he raced towards them and pretended to be a part of them.

His jaw clenched in anxiety. His hands went into the pockets of his jacket as they made fists inside the folds of the fabric. He can perfectly see the inside corners of the entire store. He scoured the inside before his eyes finally caught his parents. Their backs were to him and a familiar dash of golden blonde was also in front of them. He couldn't see her face because her back was to him, but Brandon was sure. _He was sure that it's her._

His breath hitched when she suddenly stood up and turned around, her hair flying around her in Pocahontas style. _Stella..._

He watched with unblinking eyes as he longingly drank in her appearance. She's...beautiful. Just like she always was. But still...something's different about her right now. Her eyes held an unmistakable twinge of anger and bitterness. Those golden irises that seemed innocent now seemed mature and serious.

Suddenly, her eyes caught his own even though he tried his best to hide himself in the crowded amalgam. He stood there frozen for a few moments as he watched her jaw drop. He suddenly disappeared behind the glowing festive tree in the blink of an eye.

His heart rate sped up as he stood behind the tree unflinchingly. Tears sprung to his eyes as he saw the expression on her face before he vanished from her plain sight.

 _She still hates me..._

* * *

 ** _I'll admit I'm a little disappointed by this chapter._ I could've written it a lot better, but my mind felt so at unrest. I blame the people who hurt me through their words. Yup. I'm placing every bit of blame on them. Haha.**

 **So those people who were BEYOND RUDE to me, I want to apologize in case I've hurt your feelings somehow. When I wrote that AN above the chapter, I was pissed. But when I'm writing this AN, I don't feel angry anymore. But I'll still keep that above AN because I think you should know that I'm a human.**

 **I LOVE reviews whether they're good/bad. But I'm not born to write. I'm still a college student who's still in her teens. And you saying that I'm not 'regular' or 'sincere' is really hurtful and I feel like I'm being attacked.**

I ask everyone to PLEASE respect my wishes. _Thank you._ I've always responded to each of you in the most positive manner and to the best of my ability. But this is just going too far. I hope you understand.

Thank you.

 **And well...**

 **To ensure that this doesn't result again, I'm guessing that my next possible update will be sometime around MARCH 1st. It could be earlier than this, but still. I'm in the middle of my midterms and I HAVE TO STUDY. Respect that and we'll have no more problems in the future.**

 **THANK YOU.**


	23. Face-off

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

Okay! Phew. I really thought that I should expect a lot of hate for the previous chapter's AN.

 **FIRST THINGS FIRST:**

 **A HUGE HUGE SHOUTOUT AND HUG TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS: EKATYKAT8.** _ **Thank you so much for helping me write this chapter! Couldn't have done it without you!**_

 **SECOND:** _ **I'm VERY, VERY sorry for such a late update. I suffered a bone fracture in my left hand. And as I told you guys already before, my legs are literally broken. So there's not much you can do when you're temporarily nearly quadriplegic. Anyways! This is for you! I hope it was worth the wait ?**_

 **THIRD:**

 _ **To some of my reviewers:**_

 **Guest (the one who reviewed that reviewers shouldn't get to me):** You're right. I was rude to some extent and this situation could've been handled in a much more mature way. But TBH, I'm afraid you _still_ don't know the full story. So please don't assume without knowing the whole content. It's not just the reviews that hurt me, but also some stupid emails by immature people. Maybe I'm speaking under the influence of pain meds at the moment, but that was how _**frustrated**_ I was. And _**I do**_ know the pain of haters and trolls. The last fanfiction stories I've written for another cartoon were full of them. And I moved here. But when I saw some of the emails & reviews, I thought it was happening again. I take my reviewers a little seriously, I'll admit, because this story is written for you guys and other readers. If you don't like the way I write, then obviously something is wrong with my fingers and I need to change my style. Thankfully, I haven't experienced anything to such level here. And I'm very grateful for that. But you're right TO SOME EXTENT. I guess I was a little too rude even to my liking and I'm sincerely sorry. But I don't think that (since this doesn't concern you) you should be speaking so presumptiously although I DID appreciate your discretion. Thank you for the advice. Duly noted :)

 **Guest (who didn't understand how Heather knew about Stella being in NY):** I'm sorry that I wasn't clear enough. I didn't proofread or reread what I wrote. To answer your question, it was Musa :)

 **Musicalmusa:** First of all, thank you :)! And second, _no._ Absolutely not. It's like...after the accident, Stella changed a lot. She now knows the priorities of her life. _Besides,_ it's like she said at the sales counter. _"That went out of habit months ago, Muse."_ I added that sentence knowingly. From my perspective, I thought I should show how much Stella's character would _mature_ after her parents' passing. I mean, she can't obviously be the same person. Even if her parents' death was months ago, it would always be a brooding memory that will stick to her memories. I _hope_ I answered your question. I tried my best :) Hope you enjoy reading the rest!

 **Sunshinestelz:** Thank you so much! And you didn't annoy me one bit! I loved reading all of it! My dear friend, *SPOILER ALERT* you nearly just guessed the whole ending that I planned out xD And all the best for your exams :) Have a speedy recovery and get back on your feet with a smile :) I just read your review on _Dorming with the Player._ If you can, create an account and we can PM each other :) Please don't be apprehensive. I was soooooooo scared when I started Shattered Heart because it's a non-magic fic. I was afraid of the responses and criticism. Thankfully, you guys have accepted me in this cartoon. Just write from your heart and we'll all be there to support you through it :)! All the best to you!

 **Anon:** _No,_ I don't think there will be any Sam/Scam stories from me. People in Totally Spies are just too mean and hateful for my liking. I've been upset for many days because of that. I've even deleted all of my stories as if I never existed. But thank you :) I still appreciate the question.

 **The rest of you:** _ **Thank you from the bottom of my heart.**_ It means so much to me and I don't know how to thank you enough. I'll thank each of you personally in the next chapter hopefully. I guess I'm just feeling a little hyped to dedicate this chapter for you guys!

* * *

 _ **Please do ignore any mistakes since I didn't proofread this chapter.**_

* * *

 **~ Sugar Rush - 12:00 AM ~**

Stella sat in front of her in-laws and stared down at her lap ready to be reprimanded. Heather and Lucas practically forced Musa and Layla to leave. The in-laws clearly either forgot (or most likely chose to ignore) that forcing them to leave means that Stella doesn't have a ride anymore. The silence at this table is almost deafening and so awkward that Stella prayed for someone to speak.

"So...have you been well?" Heather asked coldly.

Stella looked up to see two frowning faces. _Ugh._ "Yes, I have been. You?"

Lucas crossed his arms. "You wouldn't have to ask about us if you had just picked up our calls," he said angrily.

 _That's it. Musa and Layla are so getting a piece of me tonight!_

"Stella, did we do something wrong?" Heather asked leaning a little towards the table. The anger vanished and there was nothing but hurt being reflected.

The blonde shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, Heather. I'm sorry I've practically become MIA to you the past one year. But I didn't know how else to deal with the hurt."

"What happened with you and Brandon?" Lucas asked incredulously. "We've asked him and he's given no response but to buzz off."

Stella stared at Lucas for a long moment quietly. It was ironic because his son and her have broken up partly because Stella chose to defend him. "...With all due respect, that's between Brandon and I. I don't think your son will be too comfortable if I blabbed about our breakup," Stella said firmly.

Lucas appeared momentarily taken aback. "I can tell how much you've changed," he mused.

The blonde let out a small sigh. "I have. Believe me, I have."

Heather frowned. "Stella, please don't push us away for the sake of our son. We know that it has to be his fault somehow."

Stella's eyes widened. "W-What?" _They chose to believe her?_ Over _their son?!_

Heather chuckled a little hollowly. "Don't look so surprised, sweetie. It is terrible of me to say that but no one's ever experienced his anger management issues more than his father over here. And you."

Stella smiled tightly not knowing what to say. She didn't particularly like what Heather said because Brandon changed. He was revolting against her in the beginning too but he changed. He gave her a place in his heart and welcomed her whole-heartedly into his life. She looked down at her lap momentarily. Her eyes longed for those same dark brown eyes she saw in the parking lot earlier. Despite being angry with them, she still wanted to see him. Her heart still raced at the sight of him. Forget sight. Her heart raced at the mere thought of him.

"Please come back to our lives, Stella," Heather pleaded.

Stella opened her mouth to retaliate. Just because Brandon's parents want the two of them to be together doesn't mean that it's happening. _No, it sure as hell isn't. Not after what he said to me._

"Heather and Lucas, I'm really glad and happy that you reached out to me. But I haven't forgiven your son."

Lucas held up his hand. "We weren't talking about Brandon. We were talking about ourselves. You're the daughter of our best friends. And we've grown to love you too. We can't just let you go."

Stella smiled. "Then I'd love to be back with you again."

Heather nodded and reached for Stella's hand across the table. "...I know it's wrong of me to ask you this. But please also come back as my daughter-in-law, Stella. I'm begging you, please."

Stella gasped and instantly withdrew her hand in shock.

Lucas placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and subtly shook his head.

But Heather paid no heed. It's not easy for her to ask this either. Watching her one and only son crush himself into oblivion was painful to her. Her motherly instincts didn't allow for her to be silent and stay put while her child withered away into nothing.

"He's broken, Stella," Heather pleaded with tears in her eyes. "He...he doesn't even seem to be living anymore," she let out a small sob as tears leaked from her eyes.

Hearing that, Stella's eyes softened. Her heart hurt to hear that, but she was _**sure**_ that it's a lie. It was Brandon himself who broke up with her. Even if she did want to believe that he just let her go in a fit of unreasonable anger, he hadn't opened the door for her when she called out for him to take her back. She didn't forget it and she certainly won't forgive it either.

Despite being angry at him, Stella's heart hurt. She still couldn't wish it upon him to suffer. She wanted him to be happy and healthy even if it meant that she won't be a reason for it. His hold was still firmly fisted around her heart just as it had been an year ago. His heart still fluttered at the sight of him. Her stomach coiled with butterflies every time she thought of their memories together.

Stella let a deep sigh escape from her lips. She eyed Heather and Lucas who were both looking at her expecting a hopeful reply. But sadly, she had nothing of that sort to offer them.

She tearfully dismissed their looks of hope. "I'm sorry to both of you. I really am. But Brandon and I are over. It was your son who pushed me away. And for that, I haven't forgiven him yet and I don't plan to. Not anytime soon anyway," she said bitterly.

Heather's face fell and Lucas looked downright upset. However, they both seemed understanding. Whatever happened between these two was something huge and heavy especially since neither of them were willing to face each other even after one whole year.

"Stella-"

Stella held up her hand. "I'm sorry. I really am. But I'm not a toy that Brandon can play around with whenever he wants. If he's really 'broken' as you say, tell him to come and not to send his folks instead."

They both looked taken aback and stunned especially Heather since she spent more time with Stella than Lucas did. Stella...she _changed._ Although she bore no hostility towards Heather and Lucas, Stella did feel resentful with what happened over a year ago. Clearly, she hasn't come to terms with it.

She stood up slowly. "Good night," she wished both of them whole-heartedly before turning around on her heel.

* * *

 **~ 1:00 AM ~**

Stella paid the amount for the taxi. She persistently refused Lucas's polite and insistent offer to drop her off, much to his dismay. But Stella didn't choose to care. She knew she was being unnecessarily harsh on the two of them as well when it was their son who hurt and cut her deeply. But then again, she was pretty sure that they would relay everything to their son the second they see him again.

She absentmindedly walked up the steps. She wasn't mistaken, was she? She was _sure_ that she saw him earlier. It was just a fleeting glimpse, but...it was him...

 _Right?_

If it wasn't, then she was definitely going crazy.

She sighed as she rang the doorbell.

When the door opened immediately, Stella felt an rush of anger. "YOU! HOW DARE YOU!? " she hollered as she pointed her fingers at the traitors accusingly. She angrily stormed her way inside and shut the door behind her.

Musa giggled nervously while Layla frowned in disapproval. "For the record, I wasn't too pleased about the idea," the dusky brunette glared at Musa.

Musa raised her hand in surrender. "Fine! It was me. And I'm gonna go write my last testaments because I'm sure I'll die tonight," she sighed dramatically.

Stella shook her head at her antics. "Ugh. I don't know if I should be mad or not."

Just then, Stella gasped when Musa hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm sorry but I did it because...you know that Heather and Lucas have done nothing wrong."

Stella's eyes dimmed as she hugged her friend back. Of course she knew. Of course she knew that. And just like that, she didn't feel mad anymore.

"It's okay, Muse. I know you did it because you care about me," the blonde smiled as she felt her anger start to dissipate. So much for giving them each 'a piece of her mind'.

"Group hug!" Layla blurted out of nowhere and the trio laughed as they hugged each other.

* * *

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 1:30 AM ~**

Stella slept in Musa's room. Her midnight blue haired friend was softly snoring the night away but she didn't. She lay on her back with her hands laying on her waist.

Her fingers tapped against her stomach absentmindedly. She couldn't find it in herself to sleep. Her mind was too frenzy at the moment that she just...she needed some time to herself. There was too much happening at once that she needed some time to think.

But what use is it anyway? Her mind only wandered to _him._

She remembered how she always ran to him during many of her sleepless nights.

 _Stella woke up in a cold sweat. She sat up in a jolt, her chest heaving and panting as she took in ragged breaths of air. She touched her face which burnt against the skin of her palm even though the air conditioning was set to nearly maximum. She didn't even know why but she felt horrified. Her nerves pulsed with adrenaline as her heart raced a million miles per second._

 _She eyed the clock on the wall. Her eyes widened to see it ticking one thirty in the morning._

 _With a swift move, she tossed the covers from her body and ran towards the closed door of the bedroom. She rapidly fumbled with the knob as she tried to open it as quickly as possible with shaking fingers. She opened the door before bolting out of the room. She sighed out of sheer relief when she saw his room in view and that his door is open. He always left his room open for her. He never closed it. She felt a wave of comfort instantly but it wasn't enough._

 _Without further delay, she panted while flying towards his room. Even in the dark, she could make out his large silhouette peacefully sleeping on his king-sized bed. An arm rested under his head while another rested on his waist. The covers were pulled up to his mid-waist._

 _She silently tiptoed to his bed. With an urgency, she eased herself into the covers and instantly scooted over to him. She immediately laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She breathed as his steady and rhythmic heartbeat calmed her down. His eyes, however, opened at the sudden weight dropping on top of him._

 _Brandon jerked and raised himself just a little, being momentarily in shock, before switching on the dim night light. He soon found himself relaxing against the mattress. "Hey," he whispered before moving his arm from his waist to hers. "What brings you by to my humble bed?" he asked cheekily. "Not that I'm complaining," he smirked as he added quickly._

 _"...Can I please stay with you?" she asked shakily while not removing herself from him._

 _"Of course you can," he smiled gently. "In fact, I would prefer for you to spend the nights with me," he said as his smile upturned into a smirk. She blushed weakly against his chest._

 _"What's wrong, sunshine?" he asked seriously this time. She shook her head and replied that she didn't remember. He caressed her hair with his fingers. "Go to sleep, okay? We'll talk in the morning," he commanded gently while placing a soft kiss against her forehead. He turned his body towards her and held her close to his body._

 _"Okay," she replied, enjoying his loving ministrations. Her racing nerves finally skidded to a stop as she felt herself calming down. The anxiety that she somehow didn't seem to remember vanished. The sleep that drove itself away now invaded her senses again and she felt ready to doze off._

 _Still feeling his fingers moving actively within the locks of her hair, she raised her head up to face him. In the soft golden light, his warm eyes greeted her as he gazed at her._

 _"You're not going to sleep?" she asked._

 _Not breaking the contact, he kissed her forehead. He replied softly, "How can I sleep when I know you can't?"_

 _Feeling incredibly touched and loved, she interwined her arms around his neck before leaning in to kiss him softly. The kiss was nothing urgent but it spoke of the volumes of feelings they had towards each other. His arm travelled to her midback as he pressed her tightly against his chiseled physique. They pulled back many moments later._

 _"Good night, Stell," he smiled as she tucked herself in his arms which, in her opinion, is the safest haven on this planet. "Good night, hero..." she mumbled as his even breathing and steady heartbeat effortlessly rocked her to sleep._

Stella smiled as she found herself _yearning_ for _**his**_ embrace yet once again. _Why...? Why are they even apart?_ Every time she found herself alone, she wondered why she even harbored a grudge against him. Is one angrily-uttered sentence from him enough to drive her away from him? Is that how weak their relationship had been?

 _I miss you..._ she sniffled as she rolled over to the side as tears freely streamed down her cheeks. She'll never get over this pain. Her eyes started to burn angrily. She'll never forget the torment he brought her.

 _Not yet anyway._

* * *

 **~ The Next Afternoon - 4:30 PM ~**

"WHAT?!" Musa and Layla exclaimed in shock and hurt.

Stella sighed, more or less expecting this kind of reaction. "I think I'm gonna head back to Princeton. I've stayed long enough-"

Musa cut her off. "Stel, is this about last night? Look, we're sorry-"

The blonde shook her head. "No, you guys. Believe me when I say that I'm actually kind of glad about it."

Layla snorted. "Then you have no reason to go back anywhere. Stell, don't be so formal with us, alright?"

Musa nodded frantically. "Exactly. We're your best friends. We _want_ you here with us, so we're not letting you go until it's actually time for your college to start."

Layla clapped her hands. "Oooh! I know _exactly_ what we need. How about a date with the club?!"

Musa cheered and nodded. "We should invite Bloom and Tecna too!"

"And I'll call the guys," Layla smirked as she got ready to take her cell phone out.

Stella crossed her arms. "And I'll the tenth or eleventh wheel," she muttered sourly.

Layla looped her arm through her grumpy friend's arm. "Awww don't worry, girl! We'll totally make time for you," she sang.

"Well then, let's go and get ready!" Musa looped her arm through Stella's other free arm.

"NOW?!" the blonde screamed.

"Girl, there's no best thing than girls playing dress up," Layla laughed as the three marched off to Layla's bedroom.

* * *

 _ **Three hours later...**_

 **Stella's POV:**

Okay, I had _no_ idea we'd all be spontaneously hitting the club. To be honest, it's my first time. I just never dared going to places like that. Mainly because I had no one to go with. And second, I didn't feel like endangering myself between people filled with hormones. But tonight, I just didn't want to care about anything else.

I want an exotic night with my girlfriends and just dance the night away. Although I better remember not to drink anything unless I'm absolutely sure that it's mine. I really don't want to be one of those girls who wake up naked in the middle of a king-sized bed with a random guy beside. Uh uh nope. That's not happening in a million years.

I snapped myself back to reality when Tecna poked me. "Do you have any extra bobby pins?" she asked. I nodded. A girl like me _always_ has extra bobby pins and hair bands. What can I say? It's not the first time an accesory has saved me from a disastrous hair day.

I handed Tec some extra pins while picking up my yellow and white zebra patterned straightner. I zeroed my mind completely. I was determined to have fun tonight and that's exactly what I intend to do. So basically, there are a lot of no-no things that I need to keep in mind.

 _No more running off into outer space._

 _No more reminiscing._

 _No more crying._

 _And most of all...NO. MORE. BRANDON._

That's my motto. For tonight anyway. _Screw tomorrow and the day after that._

I straightened my long and wavy hair into thick unbending locks. When I was done, my layers (which I installed like two weeks ago in a salon) hugged my face flatteringly. I smiled in satisfaction at the result. It's been a long time since I played dress up and I was enjoying the result. Yes, yes, I know. Straightening is no big deal and I do it every now and then. But whatever. I get to have fun every once in a while.

I combed through my hair a few times before settling down.

"SOMEONE COME HERE AND HELP!" a voice hollered from outside the bathroom. Tecna and I looked at each other and stormed out the bathroom in a hurry. What we saw outside was a bunch of immature girls going berserk and laughing out of their wits.

"What's wrong?!" Tecna asked panicking out of her mind. Even I was dumbfounded. We were all in Musa's room. Tecna and I had been styling our hair, applying makeup, etc., while the girls outside are doing...

Actually, I don't know what they're doing. Layla and Bloom were on the floor laughing their heads off while Musa was running around the room trying to rip her lace navy dress off. _The hell?!_

"YOU BITCHES!" Musa yelled as she removed her dress (finally) and threw it across the room. A little wiggly thing dropped from the dress she just hurled and it looked like a... _snake?_

And soon I found myself along with Tecna rolling on the floor laughing as we realized that Bloom and Layla just pranked Musa by placing a plastic snake inside her dress. We were all in our bathrobes while Musa glared at us in her underwear.

"Save it for the party, you guys," I laughed as I wiped a tear from my eyes.

"Sorry, we couldn't help ourselves," Layla burst in between laughs.

"Gah I hate all of you!" Musa yelled as she stormed over to her dress which was dangling from her bed. She gingerly slipped it on again without ruining her hair or makeup and zipped it up.

"Uh guys. Even for being fashionably late, we're like super late. The night is getting old," Tecna frowned as she tapped her watch to get everyone's attention. We all got up and ran to our respective workstations. Since I'm broke for a hot dress at the moment, I raided Musa's closet. Out of all of us, she has the spunkiest and the most edgy clothes.

"Yo! I need an outfit!" I screamed and ushered for Musa to come over.

"You did your hair and makeup without knowing what to wear?" she laughed forgetting the little stunt from earlier.

I rolled my eyes. "Your closet is a mess, you idiot. Where is that blue shirt I gave you for your birthday?" I demanded. She rummaged through her closet and finally pulled out a beautiful dark navy flared sleeve blouse. The hands were designed with a lace and the neckline was dipped into a sweetheart neckline.

I scoured through again and smiled in satisfaction as I found a black mini skirt that perfectly complimented the top. I smirked to myself as I held up the blouse and the skirt. They were in no way looking sultry or slutty. I don't wear inappropriate clothes, but...something still clung to my heart.

 _Brand-_

I breathed trying to get him out of my system. This was getting out of control. I sighed and grabbed the clothes to go and change.

I wished I felt what I bore on the outside. But so many things troubled me. Well, for starters, _Flora_ wasn't here. I'm actually thankful that she's not here. She's, according to Musa, somewhere in Texas in a nature camp. Musa said that she'll return to NY for Christmas.

And second, I can't help but feel that tonight...something is gonna go wrong. I can't exactly place my finger on it. All I know is that I don't want Brandon there. I'm not stupid. He _might_ come. I'm happy for the girls and their love lives. It's just ironic how they all started dating my ex-flame's friends at the time of the gala. Heh. They all got together for a magical Christmas and I ended up throwing my happiness out the window and started drinking a bottle of sadness.

 _Screw my life._

Well, if the boyfriends are gonna come, there was a pretty chance that _he_ will be there too. Part of me wishes he'd come and the other part wanted him to stay away. I want him to stay away because I know that...the _old_ Brandon would never approve of me heading for such explicit nightlife. He never liked clubs in the first place. And I also want him to come because...well, I want him to know that I'm doing okay without him. I'm not hung up over...

Oh who the hell am I kidding?

I sighed once again, silently regretting the choice to go.

 _This is gonna be a long night._

* * *

 **~ Cielo - 8:30 PM ~**

"Holy shit! It's cold out there!" Layla exclaimed as we all entered the club. It was called _Cielo_ (weird name?) but it definitely had the dance vibe going on. The five of us escaped the bouncers who practically looked at us like they wanted to eat us alive.

But Musa - this was funny - threatened to break their crotches and warned to never make them fertile if their fingers ventured anywhere near her or us. One thing that men don't wanna mess with: angry women. Woo! Yay for us!

We all rushed into the club. I was practically freezing to death. I can barely feel my fingers even though it was only a two minute walk from our cars to the club. My nose was probably a rose red from the frigid cold outside.

"Damn, it's freezing in here too!" I shivered. I think the air conditioner was on but it's probably for the benefit of the sweat-filled dancers in the middle. Ugh. Whatever. At least it's warmer in here than the outside.

"If you dance, you'll create body heat," Bloom started to sway from the loud beats of the music. The music was blasting through the speakers with hip hop and remixed beats. There was a bar with a female waitresses attending to the customers. I don't even want to describe some of the people in here. I can practically see the people in the middle grinding against each other disgustingly. Sue me, but I've always been against extreme public PDA. Like for real!

Layla and Bloom went hand in hand and joined the dance floor. Before Musa could run off with them, Tecna and I dragged Musa with us and led ourselves to the bar. Tecna and I are probably the clueless ones when it comes to high tech pubs like this one.

"Girls, let's go dance!" Musa tried to break free from our holds.

"Uh uh nope," Tecna slapped her shoulder. "Let the guys get here and we'll let you screw your night."

We all laughed and turned towards the bar.

"Excuse me! Three lemonades please-" I waved to a male bartender but was immediately cut off.

"Make that two. And whip me the strongest cocktail you have," Musa ordered. He winked and nodded while I punched Musa in the arm. She glared at me while Tecna frowned at her in agreement with me.

"Do you plan to get drunk tonight?!" I crossed my arms. "Need I remind you our first day of college?"

On our first day of college, Musa entered the typical college girl stereotype. She got heavily drunk and made out with some passerby on the street. If Layla and I hadn't got there in time, let's just say that the stranger would've an extremely eventful night.

Just then, the handsome bartender came to our side. "Two lemonades for you, girls," he handed Tecna and me a clear drink with a cut lemon on top. He turned to Musa and gave hers. "And one pincer vodka for the beautiful lady here tonight," he winked. Musa blushed while I facepalmed.

"I know I just did _not_ just see you blush," an angry voice growled from behind. Musa gasped as we turned to see a very angry looking Riven. Behind him, Nabu, Sky, Helia, Timmy, and...

My heart toppled upon itself when I saw the guys and _Brandon_ stood in front of us. My heart raced out of their mind. Either my heart just stopped or it's running too fast for me to register.

"Hey, Stella. Good to see you back," Nabu hugged me in a brotherly way and I smiled against his shirt. "You too, guys," I waved to all of them. My equation with them is not so sore, thankfully. I mean, I was never that super close to them. They were good friends, no doubt about that. I'm just thankful that none of them chose to act weirdly around me or anything. I was still the girl who was married to their best friend one year ago.

"Girls, where are the others?" Sky glanced around, clearly looking around for his redheaded girlfriend.

"They're dancing the night away as should we!" Musa grabbed Riven's arm and pulled him into the dance floor while the poor boy groaned. Nabu and Sky followed the two.

I, meanwhile, looked at the drink in my hands. My fingers were shaking nonstop. I also felt a little conscious. My makeup consisted of a natural smoky eyeshadow, mascara, and some pink lip balm. I was wearing a full-sleeved navy top, a black skirt, and leather black high-heeled boots. I unconsciously bit my lip because of how fast my heart was racing.

Musa chose to wear a vibrant red dress which matched with her red lip gloss. Layla chose an aquamarine halter neck crop top with black jeans. Bloom went for a similar outfit but it was colored a light cyan. Tecna and I had similar outfits but hers was a lilac green. She and I are probably the only ones here who preferred to lay low.

 _He_ is right here. _He_ is two feet away from me. I can't believe how hard this is! I rehearsed for one whole year and this is what I end up? The only major improvement is that I'm not a puddle of mush yet.

Even after one whole year, he makes my heart beat faster.

A snap of fingers brought me back to reality. I looked up and saw Helia standing in front of me looking concerned. "You okay?" he asked.

I nodded while trying my best not to look at Brandon. This was not how the night was supposed to go. I just realized that even Timmy and Tecna practically disappeared. Oh well. They're probably having intelligent conversations about the latest new upgrades or something.

Yoopidoo for me! Now I'm stuck with Helia and _him._

 _Please don't look at him. Don't look at him,_ I prayed for my subconscious to stay put and look anywhere else but him.

Suddenly, Helia's phone rang out of nowhere. He looked at the screen and grinned. "I should uh probably take this. I'll talk to you guys later." And with that...that monster left.

Just my luck. Heh.

 _If I even had a hint of how crappy this night would turn out to be, I would've glued my ass to Princeton._

I calmly sipped my drink. On the outside, I appeared nonchalant. But on the inside, I was ready to scream my lungs off.

I heard a small sigh from _him_ and my lips trembled at that. _His_ deep, masculine voice sent shivers up my body. My eyes automatically locked with his eyes. He was still so beautiful to look at. I took a good look at him and I wish I hadn't. He was even more attractive than before, if that was even possible. He lost some of his boyish charm and in its place, his jaw appeared masculine and strengthened. He was much more muscular with broad shoulders and a built torso. His voice was deeper and richer.

I took a deep breath to not give into my quivering senses and betraying body. He wore a hot black leather jacket with a dark navy dress shirt with black pants underneath. It was enough for me to go ga-ga over him.

I breathed. I was heartbroken and angry. I wasn't going to let him rule my life again. But...the idea of running to him and kissing him was a very tempting notion indeed.

I sharply turned around and placed my drink on the counter. Any more look at him and I'll start begging him to take me back.

 _And I don't think I'll regret it._

* * *

 _ **A few minutes later...**_

 **Brandon's POV:**

I can't believe this. _Stella..._

She's not even ten feet away. I felt mesmerized just like I always was when she laughed. And now, she was laughing happily. As the guys and I moved towards the girls, my breath hitched when I saw her completely.

Forget beautiful. She was _hot._ She was wearing makeup, not that she ever needed any. And that mini skirt did nothing to help my case over here. She was leaning casually against the bar counter with a drink in her hands.

"I know I did not just see you blush," Riven snapped angrily all of a sudden making my focus snap suddenly. I saw Stella look up and for a fleeting moment, our eyes met. She instantly averted them away, not realizing how much I felt as if a stake has been drived through my heart. The past one year had been nothing but hell and I'm a CLASS-A JERK for not trying to mend the terms with her sooner.

I didn't pay much attention to the guys. They all went their own ways searching for their girlfriends and what not. Even Helia left when Flora seemingly called. Soon, it was just her and I. I longed to take her in my arms and kiss her senseless. I longed to tell her how much I love her. I longed to say how much she means to me.

She still effected me in more ways than one and she'll probably never realize that. Her smile makes me melt on the inside.

Forget the smile. She won't even look me in the eye. Is that drink really more interesting than I am?! _For real?!_

All of a sudden, she turned around and leaned against the counter. I sighed. She had every right to be angry with me after what happened. I sighed.

 **No One's POV:**

Stella took out her phone and twirled it in her fingers. _I need a distraction right about now,_ she resisted the urge to groan.

She gasped when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to her left to glare at whoever the intruder was. Why glare, you ask? It's because she didn't want any unnecessary physical contact with anyone in a place like this. She appeared momentarily stunned by how familiar he was. Dark raven hair with strikingly green depths. Where had she seen that combination before? It was eerily familiar yet distant at the same time.

Stella stood there staring with her lips parted open trying to recall where in the world she saw him.

"I can tell by the 'I don't remember you' look that you don't remember me," the handsome stranger chuckled.

Stella blushed in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry."

The dark-haired man smiled. "Christopher Williams. We met briefly last year at the gala."

Stella's eyes widened as her mind clicked. Now she remembered! She danced with him for a song last year. _The same day we broke up..._ her subconscious added sadly but Stella ignored it temporarily. She can lament over her loss and feel sorry for herself later.

"Chris! I'm so sorry!" Stella blushed profusely in embarassment.

Chris airily waved his hand. "It's totally cool," he chuckled. "Fancy meeting you here out of all places," he smirked.

Stella shrugged. "Well, my friends thought I needed some fresh air. So here I am," she smiled. "What about you?"

He leaned in and Stella's smile faltered slightly in mild shock. "Stalking you, I guess," he winked.

Stella laughed at his playful voice.

"Just a coincidence," he smiled. His eyes glanced around the dance floor."Wanna dance?" he offered with his hand out in the open.

She bit her lip. She glanced over her shoulder a little conspiciously and she could practically a stare boring into her skull. Her golden brown flared slightly in resentment. "Sure. Why not?" she smirked wickedly, giving him her hand without further hesitation. His eyes lit up and soon, he was leading her into the glowing lights and people dancing mindlessly.

* * *

 **Brandon's POV:**

"Sure. Why not?" she said. And that was all it took to break me. _Again._

My eyes burned black with hot jealousy as I watched Chris place an arm around Stella. _She's MINE. AND ONLY MINE._ I don't know Chris that well. We're just acquaintances. Even in that case, I already hate him.

I coiled my hands into fists as I struggled not to _snap._ My jaw clenched angrily as I made _every_ ounce of effort to not break his teeth and make him swallow them.

 _And her?_ I watched Stella dance with his movements. _Damn._ She can really dance. I remembered when she told me she can dance to fast-beat songs, but is hopeless when it comes to slow and romantic tunes. I shut my eyes angrily for a few moments, unable to watch anymore.

 _She looks happy._

For some reason, I can't bear the thought of that. It's selfish of me to say that even though _I_ was the one who drove her away from myself. Even though I was a class-A jerk, I still can't even _stand_ the thought of her moving on with someone who's none other than my acquaintance career-wise.

* * *

 **Stella's POV:**

I breathed hard as I tried my best to ignore the burning stare at the back of my skull. Or at least... _I hoped that he was staring at me._ I really hope that the stare at the base of my head is real and not something I'm imagining. Chris and I took our places at the crowded dance floor. I felt anxious about the idea of dancing with someone I barely know. I mean, I only saw this guy once and he coincidentally shows up randomly after one year.

 _What a coincidence. Really._

Chris placed his hand on my back, my hand on his shoulder, and our free hands finally interwined into one. Together, we danced to the music. Our feet moved rhythmically in a perfectly tuned sync. My heart beat rampantly against my heaving chest. As the song progressed, however,I felt much more relaxed. I was smiling and pretty soon, I was laughing.

"You can dance really well," I told him, clearly impressed at the fluidity of his muscular body against mine. He chuckled and brought his lips near my cheek. "So do you," he said loudly so I can hear over this blaring music.

I blushed when I twirled back into his arms again.

"I need a five," I panted like a retarded dragon. _Oh boy._ This guy can dance.

He laughed and nodded. "C'mon," he yelled loudly again while gesturing me to follow him. I frowned when people bummed into us. I'm probably being a prude or whatever right now, but I really don't like other men rubbing into me. I don't care if this is a hormone-filled club, but this is just not okay with me. I suddenly gasped when a guy got in front of me and I lost sight of Chris.

Groaning in frustration, I tried to move around him.

 _"Hey, gorgeous..."_

* * *

 **No One's POV:**

Stella looked up to see a _clearly_ drunken idiot staring (and she knew that look) lustfully at her.

"How about you and I continue this in the next room?" he slurred deeply.

Stella looked disgusted. _Continue what?_ "I have a boyfriend," she hissed while trying to move past him.

"Awww, don't lie, sweetheart. I know you're alone," the stranger smirked while holding her shoulders.

"What the-!?" Stella fumbled with the drunk's grip. "Let me go!" she squirmed but he crushed her to him.

"Don't worry, baby. You'll definitely enjoy me dragging you to bed and pounding you," he smirked against her cheek.

Stella's eyes flared. "And you'll enjoy getting your teeth knocked out if you don't let me go _right this instant_ ," she growled angrily while kneeing up to hit a man's most important part. His hands immediately flew between his legs as he moaned in pain. She turned around to go find Chris when she felt a vice grip _(again)_ on her upper arm. She knew it was the ugly pervert again. Without even needing to look around, she stomped on his foot using every male's enemy of footwear: _heels._ She smiled in satisfaction when she heard yet another grunt of pain. Shaking her hand loose with no problem, she pushed past people to go find her black-haired dance partner.

Before she could take a few more steps, she found her eyes being locked into a pair of familiar molten mocha eyes. Stella's heart quickened it's pace when she found Brandon standing just a foot away. He looked at her with wonder and amazement while she found herself internally swooning at how devilishly handsome he appeared.

Her heart thudded against her heaving chest when he took a step closer to her. And that's when she realized that _they needed to talk._ Leaving things as is is just going to make things harder for both of them.

Just then, Stella felt an arm on her shoulder. She turned around to see Chris standing beside her. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked in concern. "I nearly had a heart attack when you disappeared suddenly," he said.

Stella smiled tightly. "Yeah...I'm fine."

 **...**

Brandon watched with pained eyes when he saw Stella and Chris socializing freely.

He stopped in his tracks and sighed. Well...if she enjoyed Chris's company more than his...then who was he to interfere in that?

 _Then where the hell was he when she was nearly molested?!_ his subconscious yelled. Brandon watched her with an acute and renewed interest because contraire to whatever she might think, he had seen that whole ordeal. Before he could rush over to beat that moron to a bloody pulp, she had already finished defending herself.

He took out his phone and checked the time, not that it mattered. It was pretty late. His fingers held the phone tighter when his wallpaper glowed brightly. He smiled wistfully just like he always did whenever he watched them together on the screen. He put it back in his pocket and glanced up back at her.

He sighed and turned around, unable to look anymore.

Meanwhile, Stella tightly smiled at Chris, not really paying to whatever he's blabbing.

"So, it's a great night, isn't it?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah yeah, definitely," she replied absentmindedly while looking over his shoulder for _any_ hint of a glimpse of Brandon. But...where the hell is he?

Her heart rate sped up each second when she can't find him anywhere. She wanted to talk to him so badly. What if he felt the same way about her? They just really needed to talk and maybe...

Stella's eyes welled up. _Why is she carrying a bitter grudge over something that happened a year ago?_ Why can't they just talk it out and get back together?

She gasped when she heard a snapping of fingers in front of her face. "Sorry, what?" she turned to Chris.

"You okay?" he asked. "Are you looking for someone?"

Stella bit her lip. "Actually...I need to go."

"Wait, what?"

The blonde sighed. "I'm sorry, Chris. I really need to go. Something uh...urgent has come up," she covered up miserably.

"Um...sure. How're you gonna get back?"

Stella looked around trying to spot her crazy friends. She sighed out of frustration when she realized that she'd never find them in this amalgam of excited and hormonal crowd. "I'll...I'll just take a cab or taxi. I can't find my friends-"

"Say no more. I'll drop you off," Chris offered making Stella turn towards him.

Stella bit her lip. She didn't really want to take the taxi, especially at this time of night. It just wasn't safe for a woman in her 20s to go strolling in a random car at nearly midnight. "Okay. Thank you," she accepted his offer, feeling a little relaxed at the thought of travelling with a familiar person.

He nodded with a smile. He placed an arm across her shoulders. "C'mon, let's go," he said gently in her ear while leading her safely through the crowded area. He internally sighed. Occasionally, he glanced at the blonde standing next to him. He wasn't stupid. He saw her little fiasco with her... _ **ex-**_ husband? He didn't know what their relationship was but he knew for sure that it was strained. It was no secret that the marriage of the CEO of Shields' Corporations went down the drain only in the first few months.

After the gala last year, Brandon Shields was rarely seen out with Stella. In fact, his whole attitude changed with his employees. He became cold and distant, dismissing his personal life's worries and indulging into his work.

Chris couldn't help but wonder if it's really true that Stella and Brandon are no more. They could barely look into each other's eyes! But he didn't want to ask her yet. He didn't think he was in that kind of a lenient space with Stella. She was gorgeous, no doubt about that, but she seemed sensitive tonight for some reason.

 _I'll wait and get her to open up with me,_ he thought in satisfaction.

* * *

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 11:45 PM ~**

"Thank you, Chris," Stella smiled at the handsome raven-haired man standing in front of her. He had been a gentleman enough to safely walk her to the front door.

He grinned. "You're not going to invite me inside?"

Her eyes widened. "Um...sure?" she stuttered nervously.

He laughed. "I'm just kidding, Stella."

"...Oh," she blushed.

"Good night, princess," Chris whispered while leaning in slowly.

Stella stood frozen at the _very familiar_ nickname. Before she knew it, she felt a pair of cool lips on her cheek. She blushed when his lips lingered there for a few sinful moments before pulling back. "See you around," he whispered in her ear before pulling back.

"...I hope?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

Blinking in shock and daze, she nodded with reddened cheeks. "Okay," she accepted.

She didn't miss how his eyes literally lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Go inside," he ushered her gently while nodding his head towards the house. She nodded and waved a little to him before quickly unlocking the front door and going inside. She swiftly snapped the door shut and opened the blinds. She peered outside the window and watched Chris wink at her before turning around to walk back to his car.

She watched him leave and didn't miss his dazzling grin before he left.

She looked down into her lap and then back into the quiet neighborhood. The streets look so dead and quiet, perhaps due to the reason that this is a gated community.

Her phone pinged and she shuffled around her purse to find the thing. She opened it and saw her inbox filled with messages from Musa.

 _ **Where are you?! :O :O :O**_

Stella quickly texted back that she got a ride home and told her friend not to worry.

She tossed the phone aside and remembered why the hell she came home. _The real reason..._

Her heart thudded with an unsettling anxiety as butterflies swam in her stomach. She stared outside the window with disturbed hazel eyes. Her eyes dimmed with softly laced hurt as she reminsced how happy she was exactly-

 _One year ago,_ Stella thought sadly.

 _Brandon..._ she buried her head into her hands as tears erupted into the brim of her eyes, threatening to go free and flow down her face. Her body slowly trembled as she let loose and cried softly. It was moments like these that she hated the most.

 _Moments of weakness..._

They were nothing short of hell, but she just can't deny it anymore...

 _She missed HIM so so much._ She just wanted to bury her head into his loving arms and never roam free again.

She'll take back every word and every moment she spent by hurting him, if that's the cost to have him back.

She'll beg on her knees and touch his feet if that's the cost to have him back.

 _She'll do anything._

Stella gasped suddenly when her phone rang. Wiping her tears, she didn't even bother looking at the caller ID, assuming it was Musa.

Little did she know how _wrong_ she was.

She answered the device and placed it in her ear.

The next sentence that she heard nearly made her phone drop in shock.

 _ **"...Can we meet tomorrow?"**_

Stella's hands flew to cover her mouth in shock when she heard _his_ voice.

It was the first time she heard his voice since one year. The richness of his deep and manly voice shook her girlhood to her core. Tears poured down her eyes as she held the phone tightly to her ear.

She, in her state of distress, never noticed the black Mercedes quietly parked outside nor did she notice the brunette softly gazing at her through the open blinds. If she had, she would be running out into the front lawn and leaping straight into his arms without a further thought.

 _She's still not over me,_ Brandon thought as he gazed at her with the same unwavering love as he always had. Even though her cries and tears pained him, he would be lying if he said that he wasn't elated. He considered it a blessing that there still existed a part of Stella where she still loved him.

He smiled to himself as he relaxed against the black leather seat. He exhaled a deep sigh of relief, loosening. The past one year had been hell without her.

 _Tomorrow, however, would be a different story._

...

* * *

 **Ten hours late from March 17! (that's the time period from where I'm from)**

Anyways...

I'm really thankful that there are still some readers who want to read my story. The update was so late primarily because of my health issues. Thank you :)!

Looking forward to seeing you in the next one!

 _HOPEFULLY,_ next update will be in the next 2-4 days.

 **P.S. I hope you're not disappointed...This chapter was whipped in like 2-3 hours (except the AN on the top. That was written days ago). But I really wanted to write something, hence...**

 **I hope you'll at least enjoy the next one if this isn't up to your expectations.**

Thank you!


	24. Cabin Confessions

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **Thank you SO much to each and every one of you!**_

 **I would just like to address the following users:**

 **madeline:** Thank you so much! I'm really glad that I didn't disappoint you! You _did NOT_ annoy me in any way at all. I'm just happy that you were counting down the days. Personally speaking, every author enjoys the feeling :)!

 **Guest:** Christopher is the _real_ name, but Chris is a short version of it. :)

 _ **Moving on...!**_

* * *

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 12:10 AM ~**

 _ **"...Can we meet tomorrow?"**_

Stella pulled the phone away just a safe distance away. She sniffled and wiped her tears away. She held the phone back to her ear again and tried not to cry at the sound of his voice. _Why is she holding such a grudge?_ For Pete's sake, she loved this guy! And she still did!

Brandon, however, calmly sat in the leather seat of his car. He gauged her reactions. They broke his heart because she looked just as vulnerable as she did over a year ago. His brown eyes softened as she kept endlessly and silently crying. It took him all his willpower to not break the front door and kiss her senseless.

"...Stella?" he called her gently.

Stella buried her face into her lap while clutching the little hand-held device tightly. Her hand turned white at how hard she's been holding. _Stella._ He called her _Stella._ He never did that. _Not even when he was angry with her._ And she made him angry on sooooo many occasions. But right now...he acted like they weren't close anymore. Like...he shouldn't overstep any set boundaries.

"...I'm...h-here..." she stuttered while making sure to not let her tear-strained voice out. It would be so embarrassing and humiliating if she cried _especially_ if he didn't feel the same way about her anymore. Maybe he was just calling her to finally set things at ease. They can't fight and split off. They needed to come to an understanding. Maybe that was why he was calling her. Maybe he was doing this to set their minds at ease.

Brandon closed his eyes at the sound of her voice. He felt like... _home._ He loved, cherished, and treasured her voice so much. _So so much._ Without a second of delay, he spoke up. "...Will you come?"

 _Will I come? Nope, I'm gonna fly!_ Stella thought. Whatever. "I will..." She spoke so softly that his heart numbed in agony. Seriously... _what the shit did they come to?_

He was unable to keep the smile off his face, however. "Great. Then...get a good night's sleep. Good night, Stel-la." He nearly bit his tongue off when he accidentally called her _Stel._ Wife or not, he cut her so deeply. It wasn't totally intentional, but he was still 100% conscious when he said that blubbering crap. And it was time to remediate that.

He had a lot to make up for and he'll do _anything_ for her, if it meant that she'll come back to him.

She wiped the stray tears away, still oblivious to the brunette parked right outside of the apartment."You too..." she softly replied. That was it.

And that was the end of the conversation.

Brandon put the phone down and hung up. He can talk to her tomorrow.

She looked so tired and emotionally weak that he didn't have the heart to barge up in there and demand to be together again.

Stella looked out the window, but her mind was somewhere else. If she had just focused at least 1% of her concentration onto the quiet streets, she definitely would've noticed the familiar black car.

Brandon watched her for a few more moments before starting the ignition. The engine roared to life with a soft hum. He engraved the image of her face permanently into his brain before pulling out onto the road and driving off into the silent night.

Stella sat cross-legged on the living room couches. She didn't even bother to change out of the clubbing clothes. A comfortable nightgown is the least of her worries right now.

The phone call that she's been waiting for a year...

It's finally here. After one long, painful, heart-wrenching year...it's _finally_ here.

And she didn't know what to do with it. "Why is life so complicated?"she muttered, clearly annoyed. She finally picked herself up and strolled to one of the bedrooms. She swiftly changed into a comfortable pair of pajamas.

As she pulled the shirt down, her fingers froze at the hem of the fabric when she realized what she was wearing. It was... _teddy bears._ Stella's eyes welled with a dear happiness when she realized that it was the same pajamas she wore while they were on their road trip. She wore it on one of the nights they stayed at some hotel.

The road trip...also marked the place they became a couple.

Stella lay down on the bed. Her mind felt so troubled and worried. But weirdly...her heart felt at ease. Her heart quietly whispered for her to rest. As cliche as it might sound...the heart has never been wrong. It never failed to make the right decision.

For the first time in a year, a small smile made itself onto Stella's smile. _A genuine smile._

 _A true sign of happiness._

She thought she'd be up all night thinking of their meeting in the morning, but _no._

Stella Solaria-

Stella _Shields_ turned to the side and fell into a blissful slumber. Her night plagued her with dreams and memories of them being together.

 _And she didn't mind one bit._

* * *

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 7:15 AM ~**

Stella yawned as sunlight penetrated through her sleeping eyelids. If there's anything she hated more than being away from Brandon, then it's this.

 _She absolutely hated waking up to rude sunlight beams._

Stella sat up straight with a jolt as she remembered Brandon's call from yesterday. She blushed like an arrant fool and felt her cheeks growing warm. _Yes._ This is how you wake up. She looked around the room and saw Musa sleeping beside her.

Oh.

The girls must've been back after a long time of partying because she didn't even hear them come in. Knowing Musa...that girl is _definitely_ wasted.

Stella quietly crept out of the bed and shook her head at how Musa's shirt flew up to her face in her sleep. The blonde pulled the shirt down and pulled the covers over her before silently tiptoeing out of the bedroom. She refreshed herself quickly.

Tumbling out of the bathroom, she eagerly checked her phone for _any_ sign of him. She fumbled to the living room and flopped on one of the couches. She comfortable sank in before saying a small prayer. She knew that Brandon was an early riser. _Too early_ in her opinion. Who the heck wakes up at six?!

Okay.

Anyways...

She turned on the phone and blushed like an idiot. There was indeed a message from Brandon and Stella eagerly opened it. Screw the other peoples' messages. They can wait. This was more important.

 _Good morning. Call me...if you want whenever you wake up._

Her smile faltered at the formal tone. Maybe...today will be a different event. Her fingers shook as she swiped the call button.

 _Please answer...and don't!_ She prayed ironically. To her surprise, she didn't even have to wait for one ring.

"Good morning," a gentle voice beamed through.

Stella curled her toes inwards in happiness. "...Good morning."

"..."

"..."

"..."

 _Oh to hell with this awkward silence! Somebody say something!_ Stella thought awkwardly. Maybe she could initiate...? "Um...w-when and w-where should we..." she trailed off.

"Whenever you're free and wherever you want," he answered in a heartbeat.

She blushed. "Um...I...I..."

"Will you come with me...to lunch?" he suddenly asked.

"...Where?" she asked, although she didn't really have to. She didn't care where he took her. She just wanted to be with him in any way possible.

"There's a summer house outside of NY that I usually go to. We can go there," he offered.

"Okay," she answered. Honestly, she didn't give a damn. Let him take her wherever he wanted to. He would never hurt her physically, so she literally had nothing to worry about. Her trust in him in that category never wavered. Not even for one split second.

"I'll pick you up at...eleven?" he asked more like a question rather than a question. And that only made her heart ache because it reminded her of how much things had actually changed.

"Okay. I'm at Musa's and Layla's," Stella informed him.

"...I know," he said with a soft smile on his face. He could imagine her being a little shocked for a second and then resorting to blushing the next. And he was right.

 _ **...**_

* * *

 _ **One hour later...**_

 **~ 8:30 AM ~**

Stella sat cross-legged on the couch in the same pose as she was in an hour ago. She sulked while glaring at the clock every two seconds. It was still eight-thirty! And she was supposed to get ready by eleven.

She was bored. She was painfully sure that these two something hours will pass by _very, very_ slow. It's probably refreshing to watch the paint dry. Sighing, she slapped her forehead out of frustration and got up.

Sprinting to Musa's room, Stella slapped her friend awake. "MUSA! WAKE UP!" the blonde yelled while desperately trying to tug the covers off.

"W-What...?" Musa sleepily drawled while giving no indication whatsoever that she's ready to wake up yet.

"Oh come on! How much did you drink last night?!" Stella disapprovingly frowned.

Groaning, the blonde made herself over to Layla's room across the hall. "Layyyyyy!" Stella sang. Thankfully, the brunette seemed a little sensitive sound and started twitching.

"Lay, wake up! I have something important to tell you!" Stella shook her. The brunette had the gal to downright ignore her, hoping that she'll go away.

 _ **...**_

"Guess what?! Brandon called me!" Stella randomly yelled out of nowhere.

"WHAT!?" Layla screamed as she bolted straight up.

"What the effing cray!?" Musa's voice banged through the walls from her room.

Stella and Layla watched in amusement as a series of sounds could be heard from Musa's room. A second later, the latter tumbled into the brunette's room with sheets still wrapped around her.

"WHO CALLED YOU?!" Musa yelled in shock and surprise, desperate to get some gossip inside.

Stella crossed her arms. "Wash your face and do your daily business, make your bed, especially you, Musa. blah, blah, and blah. I'll be waiting in the living room," she ordered as she flipped her hair in a mock-arrogant manner.

Calmly going to resume her posture since an hour ago, Stella waited for her friends to their asses in here. She laughed out of amusement at how fast they were doing their business. Within minutes, they both rushed to the living room and sat impatiently in front of Stella.

"You bitch, you better not have lied!" Musa threatened angrily. Layla mashed her right fist into her left hand as a warning.

Stella laughed before sitting cross-legged. "No...he actually called me last night," she bit her lip. She recalled the events from last night and told the same to her friends. They stood there and watched her with a shock and surprise. Honestly...they hadn't expected this. They _knew_ Brandon will be at the club yesterday. But they barely looked into each other's eye and the girls assumed that their plan has definitely gone down the drain.

But clearly, that _wasn't_ the case.

"So? What the hell are you doing?! We gotta get you ready!" Musa yelled in excitement as she stood up.

"For what? It's still two hours away!" Stella whined in laziness.

"Come on, Stella!" Layla grabbed her arm before dragging the blonde for a long due makeover.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 10:55 AM ~**

Stella stood anxiously in front of mirror in Layla's room. Her legs literally shook with fright and her face practically grew hot out of nervousness. She didn't know why but her stomach did somersaults and her hands trembled. _Why am I so terrified?! It's just Brandon!_

 _Just Brandon...?_ He's the man who invaded her senses for the last year and a half. He's not just a man. He's much more than that.

Stella looked at herself in the mirror. She donned a white and light blue floral sundress. Musa insisted that she put on makeup, but Stella refused. Brandon...he never liked it when she put on too much makeup. In fact...he told her many times before that she looked best without any makeup. Her hair was in a curled French twist in long low ponytail. Her bangs were let out and they frame her face. A few blonde tendrils gently grazed her cheeks. _Perfect._

Just then, the doorbell rang loudly. Stella looked at the clock out of fear. _How punctual._ "Stella, he's here!" Musa bubbled in excitement. "Go!" she pushed the blonde out of the bedroom.

Stella ran to the front door when she heard the doorbell ring again. She smoothed out her dress and took a few deep breathes to calm herself down. Her fingers trembled and violently shook as she held the door knob.

Stella glared when she saw Musa and Layla peeping out of their rooms with nosy whispers. _Ugh._

With a swift move, she turned the knob and pulled it open. Her heart stopped when she saw how close he was to her. Just a foot away. And might she add...he looked _dashing_ and just _hot._ He wore a black biker jacket with a black tee underneath along with dark jeans. His hair was slightly shaggy and tousled but that only added to his already present charm and charisma.

"...Hi." Stella felt so self-conscious of herself as he stood there with his eyes wide and slightly parted lips.

"Hey," he allowed a small smile to come onto his lips. "Ready?" he asked.

Stella nodded. She grabbed her phone and sling purse and shot a glare at the peeping eavesdroppers in the back before following him.

The second Stella stepped outside, a gust of cold air hit her exposed skin and she shivered with cold. Okay. She totally forgot how cold New York was in the winter. Sucking it up, she followed him to the car.

He stopped near her door and pulled it out like a gentleman.

She stared at him for a few moments before blushing and getting inside.

"You should've brought a jacket," he smirked while closing the door and hopping to the driver's side. Stella cooed in pleasure when she noticed the car was already on. Gusts of hot air poured in from the car's blowers, heating her up instantly. She blushed when she saw Brandon getting in.

"Thank you," she stated softly.

He nodded with a smile before pulling the car out of the driveway and cruising smoothly into the streets.

"...Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

He kept his eyes on the road. "A summer house. My parents, Flora, and I used to go there when we were little," he stated. "It's not that far. It's about forty minutes away," he added quickly, wondering if being in isolation with him scared her. To his relief, she simply nodded.

He watched her quietly through his peripheral vision. She was silent and her gaze was on her lap. She was beautiful. She had always been in his eyes and that never changed.

The entire car ride had been silent - not to mention _awkward -_ and hollow. Brandon quickly drove to the destination. He didn't want to waste any more time. They needed to talk face-to-face and release bottled-up emotions.

* * *

 _ **After a short while...**_

Stella gasped as the car suddenly stopped. She had been so occupied with calming herself that she never noticed that they were already here. She unbuckled the seat belt and slowly opened the door, gaping at the view. In front of them stood a beautiful home. It appeared to be a two-story house. There was also a lake a little into the distance behind the backyard.

"C'mon," he ushered her inside and Stella followed him. Her teeth chattered at the cold. She felt as if needles were being prodded and pricked into her sides. She slapped herself for being an idiot enough to forget her jacket.

Just then, Stella gasped when she felt a warm embrace. She looked beside her to see Brandon gently covering her with his jacket. His eyes weren't on her, but she melted at how soft and caring they appeared to be. "Thank you," she said sincerely. Their eyes met for a brief and long second before he nodded.

Stella sighed in relief as they made their way up the stairs. Brandon unlocked the front door and told her to go inside first. Stella's reddened cheeks burned as she entered the warm house. She turned around when he closed the door behind her and locked it.

They stared at each other for a long moment and prayed for the other to speak first.

It was Brandon who went first this time. "Stella...I'm so...I'm so sorry," he said as he took a step closer to her. The stoic persona he had on earlier disappeared. In its place, his eyes reflected the pain and longing he felt for one whole agonizing year.

She looked away. "It's fine," she said in a cold voice. "You were telling the truth anyway. My parents are dead. _Six feet below the ground,"_ she quoted him. Every word he said to her...hasn't been forgotten.

He watched her with visible hurt. "Stella-"

"NO!" she suddenly yelled, turning to him acidly. The jacket she wore tumbled to the floor but neither of them seemed to care. "You have _**no**_ right to assume that I'll be okay!"

Tears sprung to her eyes immediately. "I _waited_ for you. I _waited_ for your call EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I woke up every day because I keep getting nightmares about you. I...called your name every night like an idiot," her voice fell with each decibel as she admitted to herself and to him what a fool she was.

"And now you suddenly call me because...?" she continued, waiting for an explanation.

"I missed you. Do you think that it was easy for me? I barely slept and I barely ate because I was worried about you!" he said with his jaw clenched.

She chuckled hollowly. "You were worried about me? Yeah, you did a great job of showing that!"

He took another step towards her. "Why did you deposit that money?"

Her eyes widened and for a moment, she felt ashamed of herself. She looked at the floor but he grasped her chin and forced her to look at him.

 _"WHY?"_ he hissed with burning eyes. "I was _hurt_ as well, Stella. I was hurt and went completely nuts when you counted our relationship with money!"

Tears slid down her eyes. They both mimicked the same amount of hurt. "What was I supposed to feel?" she asked with a cracked whisper. "You were the one who left me! You were the one who broke up with me!"

She's kind of right about that...so argument there.

"I waited and hoped against hope that you would call me. I would've left everything and I would've come back here without a second glance," she started to cry. "But you didn't. I...I really thought that you moved on. That...I was nothing more than a fling," she said in a broken voice.

His eyes widened. "A _fling?!_ What the hell?! You damn know very well that you were no fling to me!" he yelled. His eyes softened when she flinched at his harsh voice. "Do you...do you know how much I wanted to see you? I was...I was scared. I was scared that you would never want to speak to me again. I was scared that I'll find you in the arms of another man. I'd rather die than see that happen," he said softly.

She sniffled. "You're a jerk!" she sobbed while hitting his chest with her fist. "Why call me now?! Why couldn't you call me earlier and tell me that I still mattered to you? Why didn't you open the door when I called out to you? _Why now?"_ she whispered.

"Because...I couldn't stand to see you with Chris," he admitted. "I've wanted to kill him since yesterday."

"Chris?" she asked confused. "...I wasn't...I wasn't doing anything with him."

"No, but he was flirting with you," he hissed. "And you're an idiot enough not to realize that."

"...You called me because you felt threatened?" she asked him brokenly.

He took another step closer until their toes touched. Raising his hands, he cupped her face and wiped away the tears with his thumbs. Stella closed her eyes and succumbed to his touch. "No...I called you because I...I miss you, Stell. I miss you so much," he breathed. Tears of happiness slid down her face and before she knew it, he locked her in his embrace.

She cried into his chest, letting out her emotions. She was tortured and tormented by her emotions for one year and...she only wished that he came to her sooner. "I'm sorry too," she apologized while wrapping her arms around him. "I shouldn't have said anything either."

"Don't. I was the one at fault. Not you," he whispered.

She sniffled in his arms and they both stood there like that for a while until her sobs reduced to quiet and occasional sniffles. "So...what happens now...?"

He pulled her back just enough to look at her, but nowhere near enough to let her go. "Can't we...be together again?"

She sniffled before slowly pushing him away. "I can't. I'm sorry. I can't."

Her heart literally broke when he looked like he's been hit with a truck. She moved slightly forward and interwined her hand with his, which of course made him curious about what she's up to.

"I don't want to go through this again. We'll keep fighting endlessly and...I can't handle it if we...break up again," she started. He opened his mouth to speak but she held her hand up. "I need more time. _Please."_

He shut his eyes out of relief for a few moments. _Phew._ And here he thought that she'll break up with him for good. He opened his eyes to see an expectant face. He nodded in understanding. Maybe some _healthy_ time with each other is what they need.

"Of course," he murmured gently before moving forward. Stella closed her eyes when his lips touched her forehead lovingly. He lingered for a minute and cherished her presence against his. "Thank you," he whispered with a soft smile on his face.

She blushed in return. "I...I didn't expect this," she admitted.

"Expect what?" he asked with a curious raised eyebrow.

"...I actually thought we'd blow up for like an hour or two before settling down. But this...whatever we did...didn't even last for five minutes," she smiled. She was glad of whatever this is. More shouting and yelling would only result in new wounds. _As if the old injuries weren't enough._

He smiled. "Well, I'm glad we found another way to settle this instead of like uncivilized gorillas."

She giggled before wiping her face clean of any lingering stray tears. She looked out the window curiously and he followed her line of sight.

"...Can you stay for a little longer?" he asked hopefully, silently pleading for her to stay with him for as long as possible.

"Depends...um...I'm hungry," she blushed out of embarrassment.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement before laughing. "C'mon," he grasped her hand in his. She blushed and coiled her arm in his before walking alongside him.

She looked around the house in awe. The exterior of the house was built to resemble a log cabin. The interior also mimicked the same. It war sophistically architectured, but not too modern and urban at the same time. He took her through the living room and then to the dining room.

Her eyes widened when she saw scrumptous food already set up on the table. She stared at him disbelievingly. He noticed her glance but didn't turn towards her. "I cooked," he stated simply while heading towards the kitchen to grab plates and utensils.

Stella stared at the table to see a feast lying there with all of her favorite dishes. _Spaghetti, alfredo, penne pasta, ravioli, garlic bread, homemade cheese pizza, and many more..._

And for desert, she saw a plate with chocolate brownies as well as red velvet cake. _He still remembered..._ Stella thought in nostalgia. She followed him into the kitchen and saw that he was getting something from the cabinet. His back was to her but she didn't care. She raced over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Brandon froze when Stella crashed to his back. He stopped what he was doing and turned his head to the side. "Thank you," she murmured into his back. A smile stretched his face and he clasped a hand over hers, saying no words.

"C'mon, let's go," he shifted in her arms to face her. She nodded and let him go. They walked arm-in-arm to the dining room again.

"How the hell did you cook all this?" she mumbled in amazement.

"I was going to use this as an apology in case verbal one didn't count," he teased. Stella blushed knowing that they had both done it once when they were together. Fight and then make up by cooking their significant other's favorites.

"Stel?" he addressed her tentatively.

She turned to him.

"What if I hadn't called?" he asked.

She sighed. "I...I don't know...I was going to leave to LA this week," she admitted.

His eyes widened. "What?! You're...you're leaving?"

"I was going to. Being here made me think of you every single day," she closed her eyes when tears threatened to fall.

"And now?" he asked hopefully.

She bit her lip and opened her eyes. "I want to be with you. I...I don't want to be angry at you anymore," she cried. He embraced her tightly without a second delay. He resisted the urge to kiss her because...she said that she wasn't for that kind of commitment _yet._

"I'm sorry, sunshine," he murmured. "I'm so so so sorry."

"I know and I am too," she sniffled.

"Please don't cry anymore," he consoled her. And it worked. She calmed down immediately and stayed in his hold for a long time. She whimpered when he loosened his grip so they can eat.

"You've lost weight, sunshine," he frowned, caressing her slightly sunken cheeks. She nodded slightly with a frown. "Stay with me today. I'll drop you off in the evening," he asked softly. It didn't take her even a heartbeat to accept the overly tempting offer. And he was so close to asking her to stay the night too. But...he didn't want to scare her away. It's like she said. They'll slowly build their relationship again but this time, it would be strengthened by an unbreakable bond filled with unwavering trust and loyalty.

"Lunch?" he smiled, not wanting to see her cry anymore.

She nodded, "Okay."

And suddenly, the air wasn't thick with tension anymore. It became lighthearted as they chatted quietly. They fell into an comforting ease as they both forgot about the last year. Awkward talks became more playful and lively.

They bantered, bickered, and argued with each other.

 _Just like old times._

 **...**

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 3:15 PM ~**

Stella and Brandon sat in the living room in front of a cozily burning fireplace.

She cuddled up to Brandon's torso as she watched the dancing flames and withering logs. He wrapped an arm across her shoulders as they both chattered quietly.

"...I still can't believe you're _Dr._ Shields now," Stella mumbled.

"...That's the only good thing that happened, I guess...but...I missed you even more during that," He smiled wistfully into the crispy flames.

"I missed you too," she admitted.

"...then why can't we be together?" he asked himself softly and inaudible to her while running his fingers through her hair. _God, he missed this._

Stella felt doozy at his ministrations. She still can't believe this. It's like...

 _All_ of the anger, pain, sadness, hurt, torment, and torture she went through...

 _It was washed away._

And now, she regretted everything. She regretted waiting for the phone call. She should've went up to him and pleaded, apologized, or something! Something was better than nothing!

Brandon's case is no different either. He felt himself healing and recovering. His heart which once bled with heartbreak now was on the road to recovery. The piece of his soul which went missing on the day she left now came back to him. But he regretted being afraid. He regretted being a coward. He should've given her more credit.

At least...if they were going to break up, they should've done it on amicable terms instead of cursing and yelling. Pining endlessly for someone is a miserable anguish and an afflicting burden. Someone _has_ to take a great leap of faith and have the courage to yield the initiative in order to set things right.

Stella yawned when his fingers continued to play with her hair. His rhythmic heartbeat swayed her from reality into a world of dreams. Brandon patiently watched with soft brown eyes as she fell into a blissful slumber. It's been a long time since he watched her sleep. In fact, it was one of his favorite things to do. Whenever he couldn't fall asleep, he would sneak into her room and watch her sleep.

It was oddly comforting. Her eyes would be closed and no creases of disturbance would be visible on her forehead. She always appeared so beautiful and serene whenever she was asleep. And during that time, her parents' death sent her emotions spiraling out of control sometimes. But now, she seemed stronger. She was and is still innocent and adorable in his eyes and that would _never_ change. Her personality reflected that. A cheerfulness and optimism in life that everyone _longed_ to have...

"Will you ever forgive me?" he asked in a soft and heartwarming whisper. He moved slightly so that she can be more comfortable.

His eyes welled just a little when he realized how much he missed holding her in his arms. _Why didn't I go to you before?_ he asked himself, completely feeling like a rotten idiot.

His phone vibrated and he cursed the thing when she shifted. Mumbling inappropriately under his breath, he took his phone out and scowled at the caller ID. Stella blinked her eyes open and looked at him in curiosity.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a small yawn, noting the frown on his face. He turned to her and his worries instantly vanished.

"Nothing, beautiful," he said absentmindedly while cutting the call. Stella blushed at his casual use of yet another nickname.

"If you want to, go ahead and sleep," he smiled.

"You never thought that maybe I sleep a lot?" she asked.

He chuckled. "Compared to me...yeah, you do."

"That's true," she glanced away as she mumbled in nostalgia, remembering the good times. She sucked in a breath when he took ahold of her chin and turned her to face him in the eye.

"Stella."

She remained silent. Well, for starters, she found herself unable to utter even a single word. He was the man who sent her heart toppling upon itself. His brown eyes always gazed at her with such an overwhelming intensity that made it difficult for her to hold his stare.

"Look at me. _Please,_ " he asked while trying to get her to look at him. After hesitance and a great deal of difficulty, she did.

"I need to know...is there...is there any chance or hope for us?" he asked softly while caressing her cheek fondly.

She averted her eyes away. She wasn't ready to experience this again. What if they fought again? What if that sent her away from him? She lived in an agonizing hell for one year and despite finding it in her heart to move past that, she still can't forget it. What happened one year ago wasn't _just_ his fault. It was both of theirs. They overstepped their boundaries and _both_ of them refused to contact each other. If they loved each other enough, they should've made the effort to get together again. Instead...they simply _lamented._

 _Where did they think a dose of lament and grief will get them?!_

Answer: _**nowhere.**_

"Brand...I..." she started but was soon interrupted.

"Please don't say no. Please just say that you need more time," he asked with pained eyes as he cradled her. "I wish I could take it back. _All of it._ I..."

She held up her hand. "Do you know how angry I was at you? I _hated_ you. I hated you so much. You taunted me even when I was asleep," she said with tears in her eyes. "How do you expect me to forget that?"

He flinched every time she said the word _'hate'._ "I spent every moment loving you. I spent every second apologizing to you. But I'm sorry. I should've come. I should've given you more credit-"

"No! You should've given yourself more credit!" Stella raised her voice suddenly. "How did you ever think that I wouldn't come back to you?! How could you just assume everything without asking me?!"

He remained silent, not knowing how to answer that. He didn't have an answer to that. He didn't have an answer to _any_ of her questions. She stood up and raked a hand through her hair.

"Give me _one_ reason. I just want you to give me _one_ reason," she asked while holding her tears in. He looked at her incredulously.

Did she really think that she's the only one who has had a hard time? What was he doing then? Flying with the birds? How can she presumptiously assume that this was so damn easy for him?!

He stood up as well and instantly towered over her by a head. "You want one reason? Fine. How's this? It hasn't even been a month or two and YOU sent me a deposit with a bunch of zeroes at the end, Stella!" he yelled.

"At least...at least I treated us like we were a couple. But you based our relationship on a monetary value!" Brandon glared. "How the hell was I supposed to feel after that?"

She fell still at that accusation. It's not like he was lying. And honestly...she didn't have an answer to that. "I'm done," she pathetically fired back. "I'm leaving." And with that, she turned around but gasped when a strong hand coiled around her wrist tightly. She winced when she felt herself being slammed to the wall (not with such intensity, of course).

" _Oh no,_ you're not. You're not leaving until I say so," he hissed as he glared at her. "Tell me, Stella. You think you're the one allowed to be angry at me? You were _but only until_ you sent the money!" he yelled slamming a fist to the side of her head, making her jump.

"You've thrown away our entire relationship with dollar bills," he said in a hard and cold voice. "I've _never_ done that and I'll _never_ do that."

She sniffled as she watched him wordlessly.

"What if I've done that to you? What if it had been me who sent you the money?" he asked.

Her eyes widened in hurt. She...she honestly didn't know what she would do. She'd probably feel like she'd want to go and jump off a cliff. A tear rolled down her cheek and his cold eyes softened. He gingerly wiped the tear away.

"Painful, isn't it? Hurts, doesn't it?" he asked. "I've hurt you so so much, Stell. But...isn't an year of punishment enough?" he asked softly while moving closer to her.

Finding her silent again, he spoke up once more. "I don't want us to be yelling first, be fine with it for an hour, and then be at each other's throat the next," he said, referring to this morning. They were yelling at the beginning and then sat down for a nice and quiet meal. And now, they're ready to rip each other apart.

"If you're still not ready to forgive me, then...yell at me or hit me. But please don't hate me, Stell," he asked sincerely and Stella could see so much remorse in his eyes. His lips moved down slightly to the side and gently kissed her cheek. Stella closed her eyes shut at the contact. A choked sob escaped her lips as she buried her head into his chest.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she cried with her arms wrapped around him.

"I am too," he whispered while cradling her. "If you're still not comfortable with me then...we'll take this relationship slow and steady-"

Stella lifted her head up. "Hell no," she snapped.

The next he knew is that he's being pushed back onto the couch with a pair of pink lips kissing him viciously.

* * *

 _ **Many, many hours later...**_

 **~ 7:00 PM ~**

Stella and Brandon sat in the master bedroom on the white satin sheets across from each other. After their makeout session a few hours ago, they both felt as if the past one year didn't exist at all.

In fact, they both fell in sync right away and neither could be happier.

...

 _Until now._

 _..._

"Truth or dare?" Brandon asked with a smirk.

"Why do I feel like I'm doomed either way?" Stella whined while rolling her eyes.

He smirked. "Because you are."

"Fine...truth...?" she said nervously.

"Who is the sexiest person in this room?" he asked cheekily.

Stella facepalmed to hide her blush. "What kind of question is that?" she mumbled feeling embarrassed. "I'm not answering that." She's definitely not to going to claim _herself_ as the sexiest one because compared to him...she's a plain Jane.

He chuckled. "Fine. Since this is the first one...I'll let it slide," he said.

Stella raised an eyebrow at his sudden generosity. Honestly...he was going to let an opportunity of self-worship go? Just like that?

"Would you rather have your thoughts appear in thought bubbles..." he lazily drawled. Stella just wished that she answered the previous question judging by his wolfish grin.

"I take it back! I'll answer the previous one!" Stella hollered, interrupting him.

"Sorry, princess. You can't do that," he winked.

"...or go naked?" he finished with a satisfied grin.

Stella's eyes widened to the point of almost popping out of their sockets. "Oh God..." she mumbled feeling her cheeks go completely red. "Can I quit the game?"

"You either answer the question or I can give you a dare," he stated, enjoying her innocent expressions.

Stella thought for a moment before blushing. "Um...I'll...um...I'll go naked," she flushed.

He raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, sunshine...I didn't think you were mean enough to go naked," he shook his head in mock disappointment.

She took a pillow and beat his head with it. "I'd like you to answer it then!" she huffed.

He pretended to think. "I don't think that I'm mean enough to go naked. No uh uh, I'm not." He turned to her. "But for you, I will definitely be willing to," he smirked devilishly.

Stella covered her face in embarrassment as he laughed at her expense mercilessly. "That's it. My face and I've had it," she mumbled.

He continued to laugh. He grunted when she suddenly pounced on him. Brandon fell back on the bed with her on top of him. "Stop laughing," she ordered with flushed cheeks. "Give me one reason why I should," he started to laugh again.

"Brandon!" she whined.

He stopped laughing when she didn't look too pleased. "Fine," he smiled. "I'll stop. Your turn."

"I don't feel like humiliating myself anymore, _thank you!"_

He chuckled. "Can I do it then?"

She violently shook her head. "NOPE. NO, YOU CANNOT," she firmly shook her finger side to side.

"Truth or dare?" he asked, pretending like she didn't say 'no'.

She hit his shoulder.

He glared. "If there's one thing I didn't miss about you, it would definitely be you abusing me in random places."

"You deserved it," she rolled her eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and got comfortable in his hold. She straightened herself on top of him and placed her head on his chest. His heart beat steadily against the shell of her ear, making her close her eyes in bliss.

"Truth or dare?" he asked again softly.

"I'm not playing anymore," she put him down again.

"Just this last one," he replied.

"Fine...um...hmm...dare?" she asked, curious to see what he had in mind. It better not be anything inappropriate.

He took a deep breath. He turned to the side, gently dropping her body beside him. He lay on his elbow and looked her in the eye.

"I dare you to move in back with me and live with me again," he said firmly.

She instantly froze and the smile on her lips fell instantly. It's not what he said. She wanted to be with him again so badly that she didn't care what she experienced for an year. He apologized and so did she. And that was it. They were done with that. They're adults. Life is sinfully short and precious to hold grudges. Nonetheless...what he asked was a really big decision.

 _Move in...?_ Stella blinked.

"...what if... _hypothetically..._ I said no?" she asked.

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "Then I won't ask again."

"Really?"

He nodded slowly. "Really. I'll never force you into something you'd be uncomfortable with," he said sincerely. Her happiness was all he ever wanted for her.

"I can understand if you're not ready," he spoke again. "But... _I swear to you,_ I'll never make you cry like that again."

"And if I say yes?"

He kissed her softly for a few lingering moments before pulling back. "I'll be the happiest man alive."

She blushed.

"Take your time. You don't have to give me an answer yet," he stated.

She nodded and assured him that she'll give it a thought.

"Great," he kissed her cheek while getting up. She sat up as well.

"Where are you going?" she asked him as he stood up from the bed. He adjusted his ruffled shirt and raked a hand through his hair.

He turned around and took her hand. She stood on her knees to match his height.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" he asked. "It's raining outside anyway."

"It's raining?!" Stella exclaimed incredulously while hopping off the bed and skipping over to the window.

He shook his head at her antics. "I asked you to stay here today and you're more interested in the weather? For real?"

Stella stared at the weather outside. "It sure is pouring out there," she whispered. She felt two strong arms encase her waist. "Call the girls and tell them that you're staying here," he demanded.

"Is that an order?" Stella raised an eyebrow, turning her head to the side.

"Well, I can't drive in this condition. Absolutely not. And I'm not lending you my car. I would like for that sexy beast to live a little longer," he taunted her, criticizing her driving capabilities (even though he never saw them).

"...Thanks..." she glared. "I don't know if I should happy that you want me to stay or be mad that you just insulted me."

He chuckled. "So...will you stay?" he asked hopefully.

She fidgeted with her fingers. "...Yes," she blushed. "But! Let me call them first and fill them in," she freed herself from his arms.

Stella picked up her phone from the bed and dialled Musa. Brandon followed her and leaned against the headboard of the bed. He crossed his arms and silently watched the blonde. The midnight-haired beauty picked up on the first ring. "Hey, Muse!" Stella smiled as she set the phone on speaker.

"Stell! NO CALLS SINCE MORNING! WHAT IS YOUR DEAL?! Are you with Brandon?!" Musa yelled from the other end.

"Yes! I'll be back-"

"The doors will be and shall forever be closed for you today, tomorrow, and the day after that, blah blah blah," Musa yapped.

Stella facepalmed. She set her hair tumbling loose and ran her fingers through the long strands to smooth out the tangles and knots. "Muse, I don't have any clothes to wear for tomorrow-"

"It's totally okay! Men like it when women roam around naked," Musa sighed dreamily.

Stella's eyes widened. She gasped and slapped her forehead. "Musa!" She grabbed her phone and cut off the speaker. She groaned in embarrassment when Brandon stifled a laugh. Stella covered his mouth with her hand and stomped on his foot with her heel to keep him quiet. He grunted at the sudden pain.

"So, what's the news? You and Brandon are together yet?" Layla chipped in out of nowhere.

"Yes. AND I'LL SEE YOU _TOMORROW_ ," Stella seethed.

She hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed angrily. _Honestly._ They're so freaking immature. Stella glared at Brandon and held up her index finger. _"NOT. A. SINGLE. WORD."_ She removed her hand and the second she did, he started to laugh maniacally.

"Jerk," she punched his chest. She was _pretty sure_ that his foot throbbed but his _manly_ ego wouldn't let him admit that.

"Man, I didn't know girls were this perverted," he said between his laughs.

"I'm really starting to regret saying yes to you," she snapped while turning around. But before she could take another step, she was back against him again.

"No, you're not," he smirked, his lips hovering near the shell of her ear.

She blushed. "...no, I'm not," she repeated softly with a wide smile on her face.

"On the other hand..." he started. Stella leaned into him, her back pressing tightly against his chest. She waited in curiosity.

"Musa is right. Men do like it when women roam around with no clothes on," he smirked.

A loud and shocked gasp left her lips. She chanted a stream of _'oh God'_ repeatedly while covering her ripe red face with her hands. Brandon started laughing at her expense once again.

 _Man...it's SO good to be back,_ he thought fondly as he clutched her tighter.

 **...**

* * *

 **FINALLY.**

 **THE UPDATE IS ON TIME. I promised 2-4 days and here it is!**

 **I'm still a little worried about the chapter because it's been a while since I updated Shattered Heart. So, I** _ **really, really**_ **hope that no one is too disappointed. With my broken hand (not trying to gain sympathy or anything like that), I'm just typing a little fast and whatever that comes to my mind.**

 **So if you thought that I was drunk, you're metaphorically correct. Salutations!**

 **Anyways!** _ **Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who read this!**_

 **NEXT UPDATE:** _ **Hopefully by this weekend. Maybe Saturday or Sunday at the latest.**_

 **P.S. I haven't proofread** _ **anything,**_ **so please excuse silly mistakes/grammar/etc. Thank you!**


	25. Merry Christmas

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **First of all,**

 **Happy belated birthday.** _ **Many, many, many, many, many belated happy returns of the day to PinkiePie24!**_ I hope you had a wonderful, fantastic, and memorable birthday! God bless you and your loved ones always :)! Stay happy and gorgeous always! _I'm so sorry I didn't post this on your birthday!_ I tried my best to do so! This chapter is especially dedicated to you even though it's been a while since your birthday.

 _A special, special, special_ _ **thank you and a huge hug from me to StarGirl, Anna Stone, crazyfangal42, madeline, brella, ekatykat8, tulipblossom, Alexa, Katie Gibbs, loveRosie, Agnis, purelightsword, SunnySolaria, Guest, AllyNewsome75, Konami, Charlotte, Nonas palace, PinkiePie24, and all the others**_ _for being so sweet and kind with your words :)_ You guys are such wonderful people :D Thank you so much for sticking up for me!

 _ **I wasn't that disheartened by the guest users, but it certainly did take me by surprise and shock. My sincere gratitude to all of you for supporting me :)! I'm in a health problem right now but I'll be out of the wheelchair at the end of this month (yay!). And I'll heal completely from this fracture in about 2 weeks (yay number two!). PLUS, I have to study for my exams. My studies will ALWAYS be my first and foremost priority.**_

 _ **Please bear with me for the slow updates. Thank you so much :)**_

* * *

 **~ 8:00 AM ~**

Stella stirred in her sleep and rolled over on her stomach. She groaned painfully as sunlight penetrated deep into her eyelids. She hated the morning sun soooooooo much. Blinking rapidly, she fully opened her eyes. She rubbed her eyes sleepily only to be welcomed by a cream colored ceiling.

She sat up yawning. Stella gasped and instantly covered herself when it felt sooo cold. "Is this the Ice Age or what?!" she grumbled grumpily and stumbled out of bed. She somehow wobbled her way to the bathroom without tripping. She looked at herself in the mirror and blushed immediately.

Last night, before she went to sleep, Brandon had given a comfortable set of clothes. His were a little or, rather, _a lot_ big on her. But she didn't deny how comfortable, warm, safe, and protected she felt in the night clothes. She did her daily business and made herself look at least a little more presentable. She ran her fingers through her hair which was practically a bird's nest right now. After a few minutes, she smiled happily at the reflection before her. _Great._

Rubbing her eyes, she stepped out into the room. She groaned at the temperature. The rain last night must've severely depleted the already cold temperatures. She instantly marched to his closet and opened the wardrobe. She let out a blissful sigh when she saw the jackets and sweaters hanging right in front of her. She picked out another sweater and put it on herself, ignoring how ridiculous she must look right now.

But she didn't care. Normally, she wouldn't step out like that even if her life depended on it. But Brandon made it a point that however she appeared before him, she'll always be beautiful in his eyes.

Yawning, she closed the doors and left to go find her man.

"Brandon?!" Stella called out on her way to the living room.

"In here!" she heard his voice.

Her eyes lit up and she followed the source of the voice into the kitchen. "Hi," she greeted a little sleepily.

He, however, looked momentarily spooked by her appearance. "You look utterly _ridiculous._ "

"...that's the first thing you're gonna say to me?" she said, clearly not at all offended by his comment.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes. Now that you're awake, you can make me some breakfast. You're the woman around here."

"Excuse me? Dude, I'm so not your maid!"

"Certainly not, but you will do your share," he ordered firmly. "No slouching and no shraggling! Get to work, blondie," he winked as he ruffled her hair.

Stella watched in disbelief as he simply _left._ She scowled as the demanding scumbag left her. "At least tell me where the ingredients are!" she called out but he didn't even bother to reply. _Jackass._ She followed him into the living room where he supposedly flopped on a couch. Stella watched with crossed arms as he switched on the TV and downright ignored her.

"...Am I invisible all of a sudden?" she asked.

He surfed through the channels. "Until you serve me something, I'm gonna pretend you are."

"...um..." Stella bit her lip. "Are you mad at me?"

He turned to her and glanced at her for a long moment. She never looked so outrageously ridiculous to him. She wore his clothes which were at least ten sizes over. But then again, she only appeared more and more beautiful to him each day. Taking her hand, he pulled her down on his lap.

"I missed your cooking," he stated simply. "Every time I cooked for myself or ate at a restaurant, I missed you. You never failed to remind me that I was alone."

Her eyes widened.

"I still can't believe that you're here right now," he said, his eyes darting towards her lips. His eyes visibly darkened as he took in the fullness of her soft, pink lips.

Stella yelped when he suddenly pushed her back against the couch. Her back sunk into the soft leather as he hovered over her. Before she could comprehend what's going on, he's kissing her. Stella didn't take long to melt into his arms. She realized that she'll never have enough of him. One of his arms propped onto the arm rest, to keep his body weight from crushing her. His free hand squeezed her waist as he kissed her harder and deeper, with a fervent viciousness like Stella never experienced before. They sunk deeper into the couch with the rest of the world fading away into nothing behind them.

They both kissed like their lives depended on it. Stella grabbed his collar to push him closer towards her. His tongue slithered out to meet hers gently at first, then turned into a demanding possessiveness. His fingers gripped her hair, pulling her closer. Stella's heart hammered loudly against her already heaving chest. Her veins throbbed as blood rushed to her brain, scolding her for the lack of oxygen. But she didn't care. She felt light-hearted and carefree. She felt _happy_ and giddy, something that's been absent from her life for a long time now.

As his lips slowly left her shaking ones, colors flashed behind her eyes. She panted breathlessly from the intensity of the kiss. He never kissed her like that ever before. He never made her body _crave_ for him like this before. She breathed, feeling his forehead against hers.

She slowly blinked open her eyes to meet his coal brown ones. "What...w-what was that for?" she whispered breathlessly.

He answered her firmly before crushing his lips against hers again in the same possessive and demanding way.

 _"Payback."_

* * *

 **~ Master Bedroom - 11:15 AM ~**

Stella stepped out of the bathroom freshly dressed. She sighed in bliss at the hot, comforting shower she just had. She dressed herself in light jeans and a navy short sleeved blouse. They had long gone to Musa's and Layla's place to pick up her clothes. Since she just landed like two days ago, she didn't unpack quite fully yet. _And_ her suitcases were waiting right outside the front door for her to take.

 _She didn't know if she was moving out or if she just got kicked out._

Anyways.

Stella ruffled her damp hair and waltzed to the full-length mirror in the room. She picked up her brush and gently untangled her messy hair.

"Stella, are you done or what?!" a voice yelled out from outside of the room in frustration.

The blonde laughed at the grumpiness in his tone. "Yes!"

The door opened not a second too late. She dropped her brush in shock when she saw a very wet, towel-cladden Brandon walk inside. A white cotton towel was wrapped around his waist as he entered the room with narrowed eyes. Dark chestnut hair grazed his hair just above his eyes, slightly shadowing his dark brown eyes, increasing his already present sex appeal. Droplets of water hung at the end of his strands which dropped to his chest every once in a while and disappeared into the white fabric resting dangerously around his waist.

"I swear, sunshine...you take forever to shower!" he grumpily muttered, completely oblivious to her shamelessly ogling him. He stormed to his closet and disappeared inside while slamming the door angrily behind him.

Shivers ran down Stella's spine as she finally released the breath she didn't realize she's been holding. _Damn._ She has seen him shirtless and in a towel before, but...it never lost its effect on her. _Oh for Pete's sake! Stop racing, you stupid heart!_ she scolded herself. If he caught her in such a flustered state, he'll never stop teasing her.

She gasped when the door opened and turned around immediately. She concentrated on brushing her hair, pretending that she never noticed his semi-nude form earlier. She glanced at him from the mirror and saw him wearing a pair of black track pants and a black sweatshirt. _What is with him and black?_ Eh. Who the hell cares when he's so good-looking? _Heh._

"Don't you normally shower in the mornings?" she asked him, ruffling her hair to speed up the drying process. He walked towards her and tousled his chestnut hair, which appeared even darker at the moment.

"It _is_ still morning," he smiled cheekily, making her roll her eyes. She meant _early_ in the mornings.

Setting the brush down, Stella turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tossed her a mesmerizing smile before turning his attention to the mirror. One of his hands ruffled his hair while the other rested on her mid-back. "What're we doing today?" he heard her ask.

"Up to you," he smiled.

Just then, Stella's phone pinged with a text. "Just a sec," she loosened her grip on him and took the phone from the dressing table. She opened the text only for her eyes to widen in disbelief. It was a text from the bank that a wireless transfer has been successful. _It's the same amount that I..._ Stella trailed off and looked at him.

"I'm...I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Do something like this again and I won't forgive you this easily," he warned her with a seriousness in his eyes. She nodded, feeling ashamed of herself. She had actually done it out of spite, but not because she mistook their relationship. Nonetheless, what she did was an insult to the love they shared. _The love he showed her._

"I wanted to ask you something actually," he asked her.

She nodded and prompted him to continue.

"Have you thought what I said yesterday? About...moving in with me again?" Brandon asked seriously.

"...I have..." Stella started. "Brandon...I don't want to freeload off of you. I don't everyone to think that I'm a golddigger or anything like that," she finished.

He stared at her for a long moment. "Why would you be freeloading off of me?" he asked.

"...um...why wouldn't I?" she blinked.

"You know...we've been over this once," he sighed.

She looked away stubbornly. "I don't care. I don't want you to spend unnecessarily on me. I want to be independent and I want to work."

He grasped her chin and turned her towards him again. "Why would it be unnecessary if I spent on you? And I never said I would stop you from working," he said confused.

"We've been strangers for a whole year. Won't people start assuming things if I come back suddenly? Your family, friends, and..." she trailed off.

He chuckled. "No one knows that we were apart. I told my everyone I know that we just needed a little break and that you needed to study. And you know my parents want us to be together again," he said.

"I'm scared, okay?" she admitted. "I don't want people whispering behind my back."

"No one has and no one will. You're honestly assuming whatever you feel like it for no reason," he said, shaking his head at the absurdity in her words.

"..." she bit her lip, not knowing what to say.

"Please?" he pleaded, pulling her even closer to him. His eyes appeared so earnest and were filled with so much hope and faith that she found herself wavering and succumbing to his request. Why was she hesitating? This was what she hoped all year! This was what she craved. And now that she had the chance to go back...to _him,_ why was she afraid?

 _Because I can't deal with another breakup again,_ Stella bit her lip nervously. It would kill her if they broke up once more.

Finding her silent and hesitating, he kissed her forehead. "If you're not ready to, just say so," he whispered while allowing her to place her head against his chest. Stella grew emotional at the sound of his voice. This was it. Why was she hesitating? She didn't want to delay this anymore. It was his voice that brought her home.

 _He was her home._

And she finally had her answer.

"...I want to be with you," she replied in a small voice.

After a long pause of silence...a smile stretched onto his handsome face. "Thank you," he whispered against the shell of her ear, his breath hotly tingling against her skin. He closed her eyes as he held her tightly against him. She had no idea how much he missed her. She didn't even know how precious she was to him and he'll never be able to explain. Words aren't enough to describe how much he _loved_ her.

They stood in each other's embrace for a long, long time. No words were needed to exchange between them. It seemed as if, ironically, their silence did all the talking for them.

 _ **...**_

* * *

 **~ The Same Night - 11:30 PM ~**

Stella looked outside of the window. It was raining badly, just like yesterday. There was barely any visibility to light at least a few feet. A cold fog clouded the environment with a chilling and hollow atmosphere. But nonetheless, Stella loved this kind of weather. It felt mysterious and cryptic, as if secrets have been embedded into each falling droplet of the rain.

She winced when the lights flickered a few times. She was unable to fall asleep for some reason. Her eyes darted towards the man sleeping peacefully beside her. It surprised her a little to see him fall asleep so quickly because he usually preferred to sleep after her. _And,_ he fell asleep with the lights on. He hated a lit room while sleeping. It annoyed him, so he always preferred the room to be pitch dark.

But, he must be severely tired and dazed out of his mind to sleep this quickly. After dinner, they talked and bantered for a few hours before he suddenly announced out of nowhere that he was sleepy. _Okay..._

Stella jerked in the bed sharply when the lights suddenly started to flicker rapidly. The room was suddenly enveloped in a series of flashes of lights flickering on and off. It took her eyes a while to adjust to the presence of the darkness. She honestly hated the dark. She was twenty two, nearly twenty three, but it shamed her to think that the dark _scared_ her. She didn't know why. She always slept with a night lamp on, where the room would be at least dimly lit.

Despite the room being warm enough to her liking, it felt cold and despair. She felt like she would hyperventilate any second because being alone in the dark made her think about random and imaginary creatures from Brandon's favorite collection of horror movies.

Thunder roared loudly outside, scaring her even more. Sudden bolts of lightning illuminated the room with an iridescent bluish glow. The sudden flashes of light creeped out Stella when she started to scare herself with her own shadow.

Turning to her side, she glared at Brandon's still form. How dare he sleep peacefully at a time like this?! Oh well. Both of his arms were under his head, serving as a cushion to prop his head up comfortably.

"Brandon? Wake up, please!" she furiously whispered as she shook him. "Please wake up!"

He didn't stir for a few seconds and that's when Stella realized how tired and fatigued he must be. He's literally the lightest sleeper on this planet. He probably didn't sleep that well for the past few days. Although she didn't want to wake him up, she was scared. She shook him again and more violently this time.

"Yo!" she shouted.

She sighed in relief when she heard a small sigh emit from him. "W-What...?" he sleepily mumbled while looking just about ready to doze off again.

"Brandon, I'm scared! It's raining outside!" Stella grabbed his collar in an attempt to wake him.

He didn't even bother opening his eyes. "You have over twenty years experience of watching rain and now you choose to be scared of it?" he mumbled. "I'm going back to sleep. You should too."

Stella frowned as her patience started to wear off dangerously thin. He's one more comment away from getting _slapped_ awake. "I can't sleep..." she trailed off.

"Just close your eyes and you'll be fine..." he mumbled sleepily.

She sighed and fell back on the mattress. She turned to him and counted the seconds till he fell back into his wonderful sleepy trance. He must be so tired for him to fall asleep in a few minutes. She scooted next to him and silently observed his peaceful face.

She never really watched him sleep until now. Maybe a few times, but still. The occasions were definitely limited. She wanted to talk to him. There's so much amount of time that she missed out on and even though the devoid void inside of her filled up in no time, it doesn't mean that she didn't still miss him.

Stella huffed. _For real?_ Suddenly, a cute little light bulb went off in her head and she smirked. "Please... _BRANDY!"_

As fast as lightning, Brandon's eyes snapped wide awake. His face shifted into that of a ferocious beast. Stella yelped when he lashed an arm around her waist and grabbed her closer to him.

"What the hell did you say?!" he growled angrily.

Stella smiled. "...Brandyyyyyyyyy," she sang, frustrating him to a whole new height.

"Shut up," he snapped while glaring at her viciously.

"You were sleeping like a lazy oaf! I had to do _something!"_ she defended herself.

He sighed. "Fine. Whatever. I'm awake. What do you want?!" he snapped.

"Brand...?" she whispered while poking him.

"What?" he snapped again grumpily.

"I think the power is gonna go out," she mumbled while pointing to the darkening lights.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you still scared of the dark?" he smirked while turning to face her while using his elbow as a prop for his head.

"N-No," she lied.

He chuckled at her small and hesitant voice. Can she be _any_ more endearing? "You're such a child," he mused. "Fine. Go to sleep and I'll be up till then."

"Can't we talk for a while...?" she asked him. He thought for a moment.

"In that case...I want to ask you something," he let out a small grunt as he lifted himself up. He sat up against the headboard and opened his arms again. Blushing, she moved and sat between his legs and leaned back. She let out a huge sigh of bliss, leaving him to chuckle.

At this point, whatever drowsiness that Brandon dug himself into was now stripped away from him.

"I wanted to ask you this...will you accompany me to this year's dance?"

Stella's eyes widened. _The gala._ It's hosted every year. _What a coincidence it was that they met during one of the most magical times of the year._ "When is it?" the blonde blushed.

"So you'll come? With me?" Brandon asked hopefully.

"...what if it ends like last year?" she asked sadly.

"No, baby. _Absolutely no_. I'll prove to you that this year...it'll be different. This year...we're celebrating Christmas," he said confidently.

"Promise?"

"Promise," he replied firmly. He rested his chin on top of her head, feeling content and complete. _Finally._

* * *

 _ **A few days later...**_

 **~ Melrose Ballroom - 8:30 PM ~**

Stella's eyes clouded heavily with tears as she tried not to let them down, lest she ruin her makeup. Lucas, Heather, and Flora stood in front of her as they too couldn't keep the emotional waterworks in. Stella never knew that she formed such a deep bond with each of them. She already knew Flora from her schooling but Heather and Lucas were there for her when she and Brandon fought in their initial days. The couple used to detest each other in the beginning before each became the other's love interest.

"Darling, you look so gorgeous!" Heather exclaimed happily as she hugged Stella tightly.

The blonde donned a beautiful, gradient, ombre dress with a side split till her mid-thigh. Her chiffon dress was a gorgeous dusky orange with one-shoulder and criss cross straps in the back. White crystals submerged themselves at just the right places on her dress. Her hair tumbled down in thick and lustrious golden curls, cascading down her back in a flowy waterfall. A bit of her hair was pinned up using a crystal clip in order to give the half-up and half-down updo look. Her makeup consisted of a silver smoky eye as well as peachy red lip gloss.

"Heather...I'm so sorry-" Stella started but was firmly interrupted.

Lucas chimed in and embraced both his stunning wife and gorgeous daughter-in-law. "You have nothing to apologize for, honey. We're all just happy that you came back to us."

Heather nodded and dabbed her eyes to keep the waterworks at bay.

"We really are," Flora chimed in as she happily smiled and hugged the blonde. The former donned a jade lilac green mermaid dress that was tight and hugged her in just the right places. She let her hair loose in tumbling curls.

"You know...Stella, are we friends only because of your relationship with my brother?" the brunette asked a little sadly.

Stella's eyes widened. "Flora, I'm really sorry for cuttiing everyone off. I...I couldn't deal with the breakup," she admitted.

"I hope you know that I'll always be here for you," Flora smiled. "You can always talk to me. I'm your friend and it's not like we met because of Brandon. So you can _always_ count on me to take your side," she said.

Stella nodded gratefully before leaning in for another hug.

Lucas and Heather joined in the hug and the four resembled a family for a few minutes before breaking apart.

"Now, where is that lunatic son of ours?" Lucas snapped suddenly, eyeing the ballroom meticulously.

Heather chuckled. "Oh give it a rest, Luke. He's probably being fashionably late."

"He just left Stella without a dance partner," Flora exclaimed in a playful disappointment. "Of course...why am I not surprised?"

"Then I'll be happy to do the honors," a familiar voice rang out, making Stella and Flora nearly squeal with delight.

"JAY!" the girls practically threw themselves at him and he hugged them both tightly, laughing.

"If only men threw themselves at me like this..." he smirked in amusement. "Oh and if only Brandon and Helia could see us," he smirked in amusement. "They'd throw a hissy fit."

Flora giggled. "Speaking of which, I need to go find Helia. I'll see you guys later," she waved before leaving to go find Helia.

After Flora left, Stella playfully hit his shoulder and beamed up at him. "I missed you," she said.

"Yeah, I can tell," he chuckled. The adults smiled at each other before leaving the two friends to heartily talk. "So...everything's okay? Between you and your man?"

Stella blushed and nodded. "But...is it wrong if I said that I'm scared?"

Jay shook his head vigorously, placing his hands on Stella's shoulders. "Not at all. Brandon is a very angry fella and if you need a shelter from him, my doors are wide open for ya," he winked.

Stella burst into a serious fit of giggles.

"So...wanna dance?" he offered with a smile. She accepted without hesitation. Honestly...Stella missed this so much.

Jay was right. She should've leaned on him and he would've helped her through her heartbreak without a second hesitation.

"When are you going back?" he asked.

Stella raised an eyebrow as he twirled her to the beat of the music. "I just got here and you want me to head back already?"

He cheekily grinned. "Think of it as...you'll be closer to me that way," he playfully flirted.

Stella snorted, unladylike. "Man, for a gay man, you sure are perverted," she chuckled.

Jay smiled but didn't say anything. He suddenly pulled her closer and leaned into her ear. "There's going to be media here tonight," he whispered before drawing back.

Stella's eyes widened. "What?! Why?!"

"They want to get an exclusive footage of you and Brandon," he explained. "You both haven't been spotted in an outing for a whole year. So they'll go completely crazy."

"EXCUSE ME?!" she nearly choked on her words. "Media? Footage? What am I? A celebrity?!" she asked incredulously.

He chuckled. "You are to me," he said charmingly.

"Aww, you big softie!" Stella cooed. "But in all seriousness, what the hell, man?!"

"You keep forgetting that your husband is the CEO of a major company. He's also a doctorate," he said. "Damn, Dr. Shields...sounds sexy," Jay whispered to nothing in particular.

"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Stella resisted the urge to facepalm. "You can continue molesting Brandon in your imagination later! Just give me the info!"

"Oh, right. Anyways...there were like a bunch of tabloids circulating around. You're MIA because you're pregnant and you're embarrassed of your belly. And then, there was another news saying that you both were getting divorced."

Stella's eyes bulged out of her face at the utterly ludicrous and absurd news. "Why does media automatically assume things that aren't true?!" she shook her head.

"So you two weren't on the verge of getting a divorce?" Jay raised an eyebrow, already knowing the full backstory and the reason for their split.

Stella's eyes dimmed. "...I knew that we would meet again someday. I don't...I just don't know what I would've done if there had really been a divorce," she bit her lip, not even wanting to entertain such vile ideas.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to make you upset," Jay apologized. "Especially on a night like this."

The blonde smiled. "Nope, I'm just glad you're here."

"Come to think of it, where the heck is Brandy bear?" Jay casually looked around.

Stella burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles as she laughed in his arms. "Honestly. Don't you get tired of that nickname?"

"Only the best for my crush," he winked before scanning the ballroom again.

The song slowly skidded to a stop as another one began. Stella requested a two minute break and Jay protectively led her away to the drinks table.

"I'm glad to see you two doing okay though," Jay smiled sincerely.

"Thank you," she blushed.

"Although...I should've seized the chance when he was single for a whole year," Jay dreamily started to daydream about the prospect.

Stella scoffed. "For real?! I'm really not sure if I should be jealous or not."

"Oh you totally should. You and I are competing for the same man and I ain't no ordinary looker," he smirked.

"You are utterly _unbelievable_ ," Stella sourly muttered.

"See, you refused to believe that and sided with him ever since the beginning," a smooth voice spoke in amusement from behind. Stella's eyes lit up when she felt cool lips kiss her cheek gently.

"No greeting kiss for me?!" Jay looked hurt as he dramatically clutched his heart. _"So unfair."_

Brandon slipped in beside Stella and wrapped an arm around her waist. He chuckled at his immature friend. Despite Jay's mocking and teasing nature, he's always a jovial company to be with and a great friend. No one could resist or dislike his cheerful nature.

"Well, I'm gonna go be dramatic and get over my heartbreak somewhere else," Jay sighed playfully. His teasing frown soon turned into a quick and approving smile as he patted Brandon's back and left them alone to give the young couple some privacy.

"You look stunning, by the way," he whispered into her ear, earning a soft blush from her. He perused her in the orange gown and how her porcelain skin outshined the glamour of the dress. Orange was definitely a good color on her.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she mused as she leaned into his touch. "Where have you been all this time?" she asked curiously.

"Oh that. I had a phone call to attend to," he smiled as her head bobbed up and down in understanding. He stepped away from her and took her small hand in his, smiling at how perfectly how her hand eased into his own. "Wanna dance?" he smirked. She nodded as he whisked her away into a magical night, making her heart bloom with love and happiness.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 11:30 AM ~**

Brandon sat in the living room and quietly worked on his laptop quite seriously. He made a few phone calls occasionally in between, not realizing how quickly the time is flying by.

He glanced at the time and his eyes widened in alarm at how the morning was almost over. He stood up, placing his laptop aside on the sofa. He went upstairs, taking two steps at a time, and sprinted to his room. He shook his head with a light smile when he saw that Stella wasn't awake yet.

He casually went to the bed and sat on it. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly. "Stell...hey, wake up," he spoke softly. He didn't look so surprised when she didn't bother to stir. She was lying on her stomach in the center of the mattress and her hands were underneath her head as a support.

"Baby, wake up," he shook her even more and to his relief, she stirred. "Come on, it's nearly noon," he prodded gently before shaking her once more.

Stella sleepily opened her eyes and blinked them rapidly. Her eyes randomly darted around the room before they finally rested on him. "Do you really love me?" she asked sleepily. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "Of course I do. Why...?" he asked.

"Then why aren't you letting me sleep?" she mumbled before pushing his hands away and closing her eyes again.

He facepalmed at her antics. _Honestly._ "Stell, wake up. I'm not going to let you sleep off the whole day," he said firmly.

Grumbling, she moaned as he slowly lifted her up. She looked at him in confusion in her sleep-filled state. A small sigh escaped her lips and her hand flowed through her hair to smooth it a little bit. He resisted a smile at how adorable she was. He appeared taken back for a second when she fell into his lap.

"I'm tired," she sleepily whined. "We got back at three last night and my legs hurt."

He stroked her hair. "Come on, princess. At least wake up to eat something. You haven't had anything since last night."

She opened her eyes and rubbed them with the back of her hand. Yawning, she lifted herself off of him and slowly got up from the bed. He chuckled when she practically sleepwalked to the bathroom.

He stood up and went downstairs and straight to the kitchen to start preparing brunch.

He heard descend down the stairs a few minutes later and head straight towards the kitchen.

He smiled when he felt her wrap her arms around him from the back. "Hi," a cheerful voice greeted him.

"That was unexpected," he spoke, referring to her enthusiasm.

"Can we not dance tonight?" she yawned. "Dancing with heels is a torture."

"Then why bother wearing them?" he chuckled.

"How else am I supposed to look good?" she smiled and peeking her head from behind to glance at him. She squeaked when he grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. "You'll always be gorgeous in my eyes," he whispered before descending his lips down on hers in an ardent kiss. He gently caressed her lips with his own, enjoying the shivers escaping from her body. He loved holding such power over her. He loved seeing his effect on her, which wasn't that hard to notice.

He pulled back just a breath away to take note of her beautiful face. She slowly opened her eyes and blushed at the intense gaze he was giving her. She silently wrapped her arms around his torso tightly while he went back to cooking.

Today, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that...will be all about her and only her.

He'll show and prove to her just how he loves her and that going back with him isn't a mistake.

"Lunch or breakfast?" he asked down at her.

She thought silently about what to eat. She _really_ loved breakfast menus and lunch was _definitely_ a must in her daily food intake. "Both...?" she asked sheepishly and he chuckled.

"You got it," he replied with zero hesitation. She continued to hug him while he cut the vegetables. Although he had to stagger a little every now and then due to her clinging to him, he didn't mind one bit.

"Go into the living room and sit down. I'll be done soon," he said.

"I like watching you cook," she pouted. "Do you know that men look their best when they're cooking?" she grinned dreamily.

He raised an eyebrow. "And do you know women look their best while washing dishes?" he smirked while nodding at the sink.

She scoffed at his implication. "You're such a sexist!"

 _"You_ started first, _"_ he smirked.

"..."

He laughed at her fuming face and resumed his work. They spend the next one to two hours bickering and bantering, not realizing how quickly time is flying by.

The next two days were just as magical as the previous ones. Stella dazzled each day and won over many of the people from audience. She was one gorgeous specimen and many single men would find themselves looking at her in awe and admiration.

On the second day, Stella wore a Dubai, deep and long burgundy keyhole trumpet mermaid dress that no longer screamed only beautiful but _sinfully_ tempting. With vivacious curls, it was only a matter of time before men started ogling at her in arduous desire.

On the third day, she opted for a shorter one. It was much simpler than the others. The dress was a white beading tulle number and the blonde paired the look with a puffed front waterfall hairstyle with curled ends.

Each night ended with her falling asleep on the way back to their house. Despite not wanting to dance too heavily, she ended up doing it anyway because she loved it so much. And she tired herself out from dancing excessively with the only man she wanted to dance with. And the third night was no different. She would fall asleep in the car and Brandon would wake her up.

He'd normally choose to carry her inside and let her sleep, but the dresses she wore were actually meant to be taken off at night.

Either way...each night turned into a memorable one, memories that Stella would cherish for the rest of her life. And when she bloomed red with happiness once again, she didn't hesitate about her choice to go back with him anymore. She wasn't scared that he'll break her heart again anymore. She knew for sure that Brandon would _never_ endanger what they have even if his life depended on it. _Never again._

Their relationship escalated into another level, where each of them felt nothing but deep love for the other.

* * *

 **~ Day of Christmas - 5:00 AM ~**

Stella's phone buzzed lightly from the nightstand and her eyes instantly snapped open. She was not a morning person and definitely not a five o'clock person, but today was a grand exception.

 _Christmas!_ she smiled in total happiness as she rubbed her eyes to get the sleepiness and drowziness out. She reached over and shut off the phone before Brandon could get a whiff of what was happening. She leaned back to the bed and watched him sleep next to her.

His arm was loosely draped around her as he faced the ceiling. Coming to think of it, it's probably the first time she's watching him sleep. His face looked so rested and peaceful that Stella couldn't help but kiss him softly. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder and sighed in bliss. She froze when he suddenly moved. She breathed again in relief when he stayed still and resumed his steady breathing.

She kissed him softly as she slowly got up. Removing his arm from her, she placed it gently on his waist and pulled the covers till his chest. He'll wake up in an hour. Then he'll hit the gym for two-ish hours. So...she had _three_ hours to get everything ready.

Tiptoeing silently to the bathroom, she swiftly finished her morning routine. Stepping out a few minutes later, she exited the room with zero noise. She closed the room behind her before turning around with a happy smile on her face.

She gasped loudly and collided against the door loudly out of shock when she saw what was in front of her. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth in mindboggling reveal as her line of sight trailed along the corridor. Her eyes blinked in disbelief as she saw the entire corridor being adorned with the classy Christmas decorations.

Her feet moved slowly as she was instantly welcomed by more decorations. Verdant wreaths hung at the center of each door. Garlands were decoratively draped over the entrances. Stella's breath caught in her throat when she saw garlands interwined with tinsels and satin red ribbons coiled down the spiral staircase. She ran feathery fingers over them as if applying the lightest pressure might disrupt them from blooming into full beauty.

Stella smiled as she descended further down the stairway. Her eyes twinkled brightly when she saw that the major parts of the house were filled with Christmas decorations. Little doll figurines on the tables greeted her with a heartwarming smile as she passed by them. Red and white stockings were hung on the walls and to her delight, they appeared fat and cute. The house was silent, yet Stella didn't alone.

 _When did he do all this?!_ she thought in awe as she moved towards the living room. She sighed as she answered her own question. Contraire to her usual timings, she fell asleep very early yesterday. Eight ish? No one in the 21st century sleeps at eight o'clock at night.

Stella let out an inaudible at what awaited her in the living room. An enchanting, woody, earthy pine smell invaded her nostrils as she looked in disbelief.

 _"A white Christmas tree..."_ she whispered to herself in sheer joy. It was, however, deprived of any traditional ornaments or colorful babbles. _Are we going to decorate it together?_ she thought happily.

Stella didn't think he'd go out like this. She thought they'll be adorning the tree and house _today._ Now that she thought about it, whenever she brought up the topic of tree trimming or house decoarting, he _always_ skillfully avoided it and redirected it to another subject with mellifluous ease.

 _Wait a second._ Stella tapped her chin as she looked at the tree in front of her. White trees were her favorite. When her parents were alive, the trio would celebrate Christmas by decorating white pine trees instead of the traditional green ones. There would be a _huge_ white tree in the living room and a small green one.

 _Is it just a coincidence?_ she thought curiously.

There was nothing under the tree, however. No signs of giftboxes or wrapping paper whatsoever.

Even so, Stella didn't feel even the slightest twinge of disappointment. She just woke up to the sweetest and most delightful surprise she could ever have. Christmas was her favorite time of the year. She loved going out on this particular day.

She smiled as she looked outside. Awe grazed her features when she saw a magical white Christmas. Snowflakes, each and every one of them unique, gently flew through the air and entrenched themselves into the already thickening coat of snow.

 _Wow..._ she smiled in joy.

She gasped when she forgot why she woke up early in the first place. Brandon would wake up in around forty minutes and he'll blast himself in the gym for two hours. _Wait...would he really? At what time did he sleep last night?_ she asked herself as she tossed a glance upstairs. Oh well.

So it roughly gave her three hours?

She wanted to prepare a hearty meal for him. She asked Heather a few days for his favorite recipes and she had practiced with Heather while Brandon went to work. She had gotten all the ingredients she needed a day or two ago.

 _Let's get to work,_ Stella encouraged herself as she skipped to the kitchen.

* * *

 **~ Master Bedroom - 6:30 AM ~**

An alarm went off in the master bedroom with its volume at the lowest possible level. Brandon's ear twitched a little at the sound before his eyes started to blink open. He rubbed his eyes and let out a small sigh of sleepiness before his hands scoured the bed.

Opening his eyes in confusion, he raised an eyebrow in shock when he saw that the bed was empty. Eyeing the clock, he sat up. Stella normally didn't wake up at this time. _What is she up to?_ Yawning, he draped his legs over the bed before shutting off his phone's alarm.

A few minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom after doing his daily routine and spleashing his face with lukewarm water. "Stella?" he called out casually before grabbing his phone and tossing it into his pocket.

He raked a hand through his locks before opening the bedroom door. He walked through the lit corridors before descending down the stairs. His pace slowed considerably when a delectable aroma filled his senses. He quickened his pace and instantly followed the aroma into the kitchen but stopped midway when he heard a soft voice singing.

He quickly hid himself in the hallway when Stella suddenly stepped out of the kitchen carrying a huge tray while wearing oven mittens and wearing an apron. A soft tune played on her lips as her eyes twinkled with happiness. He watched her set the tray on a table before she suddenly started dancing out of nowhere.

"La la la laaaaaaa," she sang in a little high-pitched voice and twirled herself. Her long hair was in a ponytail and danced to her movements.

He silently chuckled as he watched her dance randomly. She didn't seem to note that she had an audience. He watched with an amused smile as she twirled herself back into the kitchen, all the while a song escaping from her lips. _So, this was what you have been doing,_ he thought.

He made himself into the kitchen but the blonde, lost in her own magical world, seemed oblivious. Her back was to him as she bobbed her head up and down to match the rhythm of her self-invented music.

He watched her for a few minutes and leaned against the doorframe. "I've never been so insulted in all my life," he spoke suddenly when she showed no signs of acknowledging his presence any time soon.

Stella gasped as she instantly dropped everything and turned around.

"I've been standing here for a whole fifteen minutes-" Brandon started but stopped at her happy scream.

"BRANDON!" she squealed in joy as she ran towards him and jumped straight into his arms. The brunette grunted as he tried to regain his balance at the force of her burst of excitement.

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" she squealed in his ear, nearly turning him deaf. She tightened her grip on him and started to scream out of excitement.

Despite his hearing being heavily damaged due to her incessant screaming, he was awestruck. She seemed so innocent and so happy that he found himself grinning like an absolute _moron._ "Merry Christmas, Stell," he said affectionately.

"YOU TOO! MERRY CHRISTMAS, BRANDON!" she separated from him, letting him gaze at his reflection through her twinkling eyes. She started to jump up and down in his arms and started to laugh happily out of nowhere and he was left staring at her. _Does Christmas mean that much to her?_ he asked himself with a widening smile.

She resembled a ball of energy as waves of excitement rolled off of her. She's so hyperactive, not knowing where to send the extraneous energy of hers. He smiled inwardly at her state of euphoria.

"What exactly were you up at this hour?" he finally asked after she sizzed down a little.

She gasped. "Oooooh you're right! Shoo, get out! Don't come back here for another few hours!" she separated from him and pushed him out of the kitchen. "Go freak out in the gym or whatever," she ordered.

"Excuse me?" he asked in confusion.

"I'm cooking," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "And I need you to give me some privacy."

He shook his head. "Seriously? Stell, it's barely seven in the morning. Who cooks this early?!"

"PLEAASSSEEEEEEE!" she pleaded him with twinkling brown orbs. "We have to head to your parents' house in a few hours...and I want to do something for you," she admitted shyly. "Please?"

Lost in the depth of honey colored eyes, he couldn't help but give in with a smile. "...Fine," he admitted defeat. He didn't fail to notice how her eyes practically _lit up,_ resembling a Christmas tree. He turned around to let her be and give her the privacy she _so_ wanted, wondering what she was up to. He stopped when she stopped him again. Turning around, his eyes widened in surprise when she threw herself at him and pressed her lips firmly against his. It didn't take him to reciprocate and the kiss turned into a soft, gentle one.

 _BUT_ Brandon, meanwhile, tried to control to arduous lust and desire for her by forming his hands into tight fists. His fingers practically itched to take her pajamas off and ravish her right here on the table. He had to resist with all of his might and with every fiber of his body to control himself. He lifted his head up and simply embraced her tightly.

Unaware of his inappropriate thoughts towards her, Stella saw the white tree in the living room through her peripheral vision. "By the way...is that white tree..." she started but stopped when she didn't have a coherent line of thought.

He closed his eyes, trying his best not to give in to the tempatation. _Don't. Don't. Don't._ He warned himself with a straightlaced determination and willpower before slowly opening his eyes. It's official. He needed a cold shower.

He gently stroked her cheek with his thumb as she cooed in pleasure. He followed her line of sight and saw her staring at the blank tree. "We're gonna do it together," he admitted.

"When did you even do all of this?! When did you sleep?" she asked.

He chuckled. "I didn't do it alone. I had Jay and Flora over and they sort of helped me prepare this surprise for you," he admitted sheepishly.

"Thank you," she blushed softly. As mad as she is at him for not telling her about this, it was clear that he put a lot of heart and effort into this.

"But why do you have a white tree?" she pointed.

"Musa told me that you love white trees instead of the traditional green ones," he said simply.

Her eyes widened. So this was no coincidence. Her eyes swelled with a surreal amount of happiness at how he planned everything to the extremely tiniest detail.

"I'll see you later then," he smiled as he kissed her cheek and left, leaving her in La-la dreamy land.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 8:30 AM ~**

Brandon entered the living room with a towel hung around his shirtless body. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and travelled towards the curve of his neck. His hair slung over his forehead in slick strands from sweating so much.

Sweat pooled into the edges of his track pants, a credible result of an extreme workout. He sipped from a water bottle as he headed towards his bedroom to take a long and hot shower.

He stopped when an intense, aromatic smell surrounded the atmosphere, pleasing his senses instantly. Well, well, well, it looks like he had a feast waiting for him.

He sprinted upstairs, taking three steps at a time, and headed straight for his room.

* * *

 **~ 9:00 AM ~**

Stella yawned as she set the final tray on the dining table. Oh boy. She looked at the time. It was nearly nine.

 _Four hours._

She spent a total of four hours to make this food and she just hoped that it was worth the effort.

Just then, Brandon entered the room while ruffling his hair. "Feed me, woman. I'm starving," he exclaimed. Her eyes lit up at his presence as he immediately sat in the dining room. His eyes widened at the sight before him. There were at least fifteen trays in front of him. He looked at her in disbelief. "You cooked all this...?" he asked.

She shyly nodded. "They're all supposed to be your favorites but I'm not sure how they turned out," she admitted nervously.

"Thank you, Stell," he smiled while taking her hand. "So...start serving!"

She giggled before opening all of the lids, revealing the contents in the pans. His eyes widened at each of the items that lay before him. They are, indeed, his favorites. Italian was one of his favorite continental cuisines and there were many dishes before him: Fettuccine Alfredo, carbonara, ravioli, and tortellini. For side dishes, there were egg casserole, garlic bread, French toast, pizza rolls, crispy fried chicken, and Korean's kimchi fried rice. And finally as dessert, she baked chocolate triffle and tiramisu cake.

Blinking his eyes rapidly at the extent of the food's variety, a smile burst onto his lips and widened as he took in the reality of it. He watched her serve a little bit of each onto his plate and stood nervously, waiting for his reaction.

He picked up his fork and placed a bite of Fettuccine Alfredo. His taste buds delightfully savored in the taste of it. This was literally the best food he ever tasted as he tasted each of them one by one.

"Do you like it...?" she asked nervously. He looked up at her and pulled her onto his lap. She seemed hesitant to meet his eye. She looked at him when he turned her chin towards him, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I love it," he admitted warmly.

"Really?!" she asked as her eyes lit up. "You're...you're not just saying that?"

He vigorously shook his head 'no'. "Have I ever lied to you?" he smirked.

She blushed and shook her head.

"Thank you," he said genuinely and pulled her closer. "Won't you eat with me?" he asked as her plate stood empty.

She blushed and moved to sit beside him. They both served themselves and chattered as they ate.

* * *

 **~ Lucas' and Heather's Home - 12:30 PM ~**

"MEEERRRRYYYYY CCCCHHHRRRIISSSTTTMAASSSS!" Stella yelled as she hugged Heather and Flora tightly. The blonde wore a short black dress with black tights and completed the look with a red winter coat on top.

Brandon and Lucas downright annoyed as the girls started to chatter excitedly, lost in their own world. "For real?" the young brunette muttered.

The doorbell rang and Lucas opened it, revealing the remaining four couples and Helia as well as some adults, presumably their parents. They all waltzed in and it didn't take long for the girls to huddle together and squeal with laughter. The men crossed their arms and looked at each other, thinking the same thing over and over again.

"I can't believe I just got dumped," Brandon grumpily muttered.

"I'm gonna give Musa a piece of my mind the next she just ignores me!" Riven bellowed.

"Bloom ain't innocent either," Sky snapped.

Timmy sighed. "It's been twelve minutes and eighteen seconds and Tecna hasn't looked at me even once." All heads turned to him at the technical weirdness of his statement. "What?!" Timmy exclaimed annoyed.

"I can understand their excitement but I'd appreciate it if they can spare us a glance," Helia shook his head.

Nabu crossed his arms. "Tell me about it," he scoffed.

The girls wore in colors of red, green, and black. _Perfect Christmas theme._

"Hey, Flora. You're really glowing," Musa pinched the brunette's cheek. "Any skin secrets that we should know about?" Stella gushed, noticing her radiant skin too.

The dusky brunette blushed. "Yeah, about that...I have some news to tell you guys," her caramel hair shone as her eyes twinkled with happiness. "All of you," she calmly gestured for them to sit. The brunette beamed at Helia, who grinned and instantly joined her side. The guys, looking at each other, moved into the living room and stood behind their respective girlfriends.

"Um...Helia and I have some news we want to share with you," Flora beamed. The couple interwined their hands tightly.

"What is going on with you two?" Musa asked cheekily.

"Do you want to...?" Flora looked at Helia. "No, this is all you," he grinned as he kissed her cheek. The girls let out a small coo of 'aww' before Layla piqued up. "Nice to see a little cute PDA, but let us in, guys! Are you transferring to New York permanently?"

Flora's hand suddenly flew up as she showed everyone the back of her hand. There rested a diamond cut, platinum ring that shone in the lights.

"AHHHHH!" the girls yelled as they moved to hug Flora.

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED!" they all squealed while hugging both Helia and Flora.

"Oh my God! OMG OMG OMG OMGGGGG! That ring is to die for!" Musa screamed, grabbing Flora's hand. She winked at Riven and looked at the ring and then back to him. His eyes widened and he instantly looked away.

Stella and Layla, seeing that exchange, laughed. "Did you just propose to Riven?" Stella burst out laughing at how highly uncomfortable he appeared. "Damn! That's the first time I've seen Riven blush!" she laughed.

Layla packed a punch into her left hand with her right. "I'll kill Nabu if that bastard even _thinks_ about breaking up with me. So yeah, he better propose," the brunette rolled her eyes.

"And I'll break Brandon's teeth with my foot if he lets another girl into his life," Stella seethed, with fire burning in her eyes as well.

The trio suddenly stayed silent and they all looked at each other. The three suddenly started to crack up at their sudden possessiveness for their respective men.

 _Marriage._ Stella's eyes reminsced about _her_ wedding. It's still so surreal that she's married at only 21 and now she's about an year and half into the marriage. She turned to Brandon, whose eyes weren't on her but on his sister. He didn't look surprised or shocked at the news. The rest of the guys, however, did look surprised and happy for the engaged couple.

Flora let the girls go and smiled at her older brother and mother, who're standing side by side.

Brandon chuckled and hugged her tightly. "Congratulations, sis," he said while kissing her cheek. "If he hurts even a hair of your head, I swear I'll make him infertile for the rest of his life," he snapped playfully, but knowing Helia, the latter would never do such a thing.

Flora punched his shoulder. "Too late," she winked while placing a tender hand on her stomach.

Heather's eyes widened and so did Brandon's. "...W-What?!" they both yelled, capturing the attention of everyone else and disrupting their celebrations.

Flora turned to everyone as happy tears erupted in her forest green eyes. "I'm pregnant," she announced as a tear slid down her cheek.

Lucas and Heather looked stunned as tears swirled in their eyes. Heather looked ready to bawl her eyes out at the joy. It felt like just yesterday that her baby girl was born. And now...her baby is going to have a baby.

Everyone screamed in delight and started randomly hugging the next person in sheer happiness. "We need to celebrate!" someone randomly yelled as everyone else joined in.

...

More celebrations erupted in the Shields' household on that day. As the day progressed, they all collectively ate, drank, and enjoyed the day away.

Christmas turned into an absolute joy and seeing all this, Stella's eyes blinked wistfully. It's been a while since she missed her parents this much. She was happy for Flora and Helia and sincerely wished everyone happy holidays, but...that void in her still left her in a place where she didn't know what to think. Her parents' death would always be a sore point in her life but she was at least able to recover from the turmoil of grief she threw herself into.

"I miss you so much, mom and dad," she whispered painfully to herself as she turned around and surreptiously slipped away from everyone. There were more than thirty people in there. There were so many friends of the Shields' and they were all people she didn't know.

She put on her coat and stepped outside into the chilly environment through the kitchen's back door, thanking fate for not letting anyone stop her. She needed some time alone. The cold air kissed and nearly bit her skin with a painful sting, but she didn't care at the moment. She rubbed her face with the warm gloves and sighed in relief at the heat.

Despite not being a fan of the cold, she loved snow. Her eyes shimmered as she watched snow fall outside in an oblique blur. She stepped out into the lawn and enjoyed how the scintillating white crystals of hardened snow scrunched into an icy layer underneath her boots. She turned around and saw that the house was completely white and nearly dissolved into the landscape. Blood rushed to her cheeks and her lips turned a brilliant red at the cold. But she didn't seem to care.

She cast her face upwards as she felt the falling snowflakes kissing her exposed pale face. She giggled as she shook it off. She spread her hands and saw snow falling on them.

Her hands fell limply by her side when she's constantly reminded that there's no one by her to celebrate this with. Her smile dissolved into nothingness as nostalgic tears pooled in her eyes.

 _Why can't I get over this?_ she deeply inhaled while dabbing her eyes to let the tears stay put. "I'll never be okay at this rate," she sighed to herself.

Suddenly, her phone rang and she rolled her eyes at the sound. Digging her fingers into her pockets, she took out the device to see Brandon calling her, presumably to ask where she is. "Hello?" she placed it near her ear.

"Hey, sunshine. We're gonna light the tree. Where are you?" he asked.

...

 _Silence._

...

"Stell? You there?" he asked.

"Yeah...I'll...I'll be there in a few," she answered monotonously.

"See you soon then."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone and put it inside her pocket. Shivering, she went back to the house grudgingly and with a long sigh. She shook the snow away from her head and clothes. She slowly went back to the living room and each step towards the hall only felt heavier.

She saw everyone standing near a heavily decorated tree with a huge star on the top. No one seemed to notice her entering and she was thankful for it. Everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to come and join. She saw Brandon's eyes on her and went up to him.

"Hey. Where have you been?" he asked while taking her in a side hug. She wrapped an arm around his waist while his arm snaked around her shoulders.

"Out," she answered, keeping her answer as succinct and laconic as possible.

"...Everything okay?" he asked in concern.

She stayed silent for a moment. "Yeah...everything's fine," she murmured.

"Do you want to talk?"

She shook her head 'no'. He, puzzled at her sudden change of tone, tightened his hold on her. It didn't take long for him to decipher that she might be feeling a little alone. This was afterall the first Christmas she's celebrating since her parents died. "We can leave, if you want," he offered.

She shook her head. "No, it's fine," she said with a sigh. She wasn't going to be selfish and ruin Christmas for both of them. He had no reason to miss this and he sure as hell isn't going to miss it because of her. All of a sudden, the atmosphere here felt suffocating and started to choke her throat. She wanted to leave so badly.

Sensing her stiffening body as each second passed by, Brandon itched to drag her away from this. It must be so painful for her to watch this and he, knowing that she's hurting, can't find it in himself to enjoy either.

"Alright, is everyone here?!" Heather yelled out.

Everyone cheered with excitement and even Stella showed a light yet subtly fake smile.

Every guest's eyes rested on the dull star at the top of the tree. Heather and Lucas switched it on and the once lackluster ornament was now brightly shimmering with a golden iridescent light. Everyone yelled out a huge _Merry Christmas_ while Stella's eyes remained painfully and unblinkingly on the shining star.

While the star sparkled ceremoniously bright and showed off its magnifient splendor, whatever light was left in her eyes swiftly faded out into oblivion.

* * *

 **~ The Same Day - 4:30 PM ~**

Stella entered through the door, still feeling a little bummed. Her so-called festive mood was a little too low for her taste. She zoned out Brandon entering behind her and locking the door. Instead, she just wanted to be left alone to wallow in her worries.

"Stella, wait-"

"Not now. Please," she said as she left him there hanging.

She didn't notice the frown resting on his face as she left the living room to go elsewhere. _I thought I could do this! I thought I was strong enough!_ Stella cursed herself as frowns marred her face. She didn't know whether she should cry or not. Despite willing herself to, no tears came out. She had none left. She's too exhausted to cry. She's too exhausted to carry this pain around with her. And most of all...she's too exhausted to maintain the hollow void in her heart.

* * *

 _ **An hour later...**_

 **~ 6:00 PM ~**

Stella closed her eyes as she rested and rocked on the hammock inside of her room. This was the same room she stayed in before she and Brandon became a couple. She sighed and reopened her eyes again. She felt temporarily lost, yet she didn't cry. She was getting better but she was scared at the slow rate of improvement.

She looked outside the windows where flurries of snow cascaded down the sky and enveloped New York in a white and magical Christmas.

A knock on the door interrupted her. "Come in..." she dully replied, keeping her eyes on the window.

Brandon poked his head in and looked at her. "Hey," he shrugged before coming inside the room.

"Hi," she replied with zero emotion.

Brandon frowned. It's official. He did _not_ like this Stella at all. She looked like a robot with barely any expression on her face. Is this what he looked like before he began dating her? Heh. _Karma, I guess,_ he scoffed internally.

He approached the hammock and looked around randomly, not knowing what to do at the moment. After noticing him standing beside her for a long time, she looked at him curiously. She tossed him a look and silently demanded to tell her what he wanted.

"I was just thinking," he started. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Watching the snow," she pointed to the window.

He scoffed. "Liar."

"Then why bother asking me if you know the answer?" she snapped angrily. He looked stunned and frowned a second later. He wasn't hurt at her snippy tone, but just concerned.

"I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," she apologized.

"I know," he shrugged. "Believe me, I know."

Stella let out a squeal when he suddenly picked her up from the hammock. "No, put me down!" she grabbed for the soft and comfortable furniture. "Hammooocckkkkk!" she cried, stretching her arms towards it and earning a weird expression from him.

"Would you stop acting like that piece of furniture is your long lost lover?" he snapped as he took her out of the room.

"Then let me go!" she squealed as she twisted and turned in his arms.

"You're gonna make me drop you. Hold still, you brat," he muttered as he descended down the stairs with her.

"Did you just call me a brat?! Brandon, let me go! I want to be left alone!" she whined.

He stopped after reaching the last step. "Do you really?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Fine. You can suffer in depression later. But right now, we have a day to celebrate," he explained as he gently set her down on her feet.

"What?"

"We're gonna decorate that tree together," he pointed while pushing her from behind.

"Can't we do it later?"

"No," he said. "Move."

Stella huffed at his bossiness and moved towards the nearest sofa beside the tree. "What part of 'I want to be left alone' didn't you understand?! Are you deaf?!"

"My hearing is fine. It's just selective," he remarked like the smartass he is. He bent in front of her. "Listen. If you want to be upset or cry, do it tomorrow. Not today," he said.

"Why does that matter?!" she asked exasperated.

"A month or two later, say you do remember the times we spent together here. You're _always_ going to remember that you felt alone on Christmas. Even with so many people, you felt alone and lonely. What kind of man would I be if I can't keep you from doing that?"

"This isn't your fault," she said softly. "Why would I hold _you_ for this?"

"Then spend the evening with me. The day is still young and frankly, so are we," he smiled.

She giggled. "I just...I feel a little down, that's all. But I'm past crying my heart out," she admitted truthfully.

"I know. I know you are, but don't remember your parents as a bad memory. Remember the good times you had with them. Remind yourself the Christmases you three had," he encouraged her.

"...We used to throw this grand party at our house. All our relatives, cousins, and extended family would attend. I was never that close with them, but still. Musa, Layla, and I would stay up all night talking the night out. I guess...seeing your house today...made me think of what I lost because you celebrate Christmas in the same way."

"You're never alone, sunshine. You'll _always_ have me. I can't change the past, but I promise you, I'll be by your side no matter what from now on. And also, my family is also _your_ family. And you're _my_ family."

Stella's golden irises swirled with tears at the heartfelt words. "Thank you," she said softly while moving in for a long hug.

* * *

Stella let out a relieved groan as she hung the last bauble on the tree, finally transforming its earlier lackluster appearance into a festively adorned tree. "Finally! We're done!" she jumped as she clapped her hands.

"We?" Brandon rolled his eyes. She was enthusiastic in the beginning, but she started to whine and complain after a while, much to his amusement.

"For real? This tree is like seven feet tall. My back is _begging_ for mercy," she collapsed into his arms.

Stella eyed the tree with avid fascination. It was heavily decorated with red ornamental baubles. What caught her eye the most was that each bauble and each ornament wasn't the traditional colored spheres that are usually decorated for Christmas. Instead, there were _trinkets._

Her honey-colored eyes lit up as she saw each and every trinket that the both of them just hung up together.

 _A house..._ signifying the house they're living in currently.

 _A sphere with an endless road inside of it..._ their roadtrip...

 _A sphere with an outdoor pool..._ the first time that they almost kissed but got interrupted by the ever so rude weather.

 _A hotel room..._ their first kiss...

 _Figurines of a dancing couple..._ depicting the endless hours they danced away at the gala...

And there were many more ornaments with little figures depicting the journey of their relationship. But the most significant one was that the ornament perched on the top of the tree...

It's a wedding figurine of a blonde immersed in a brunette's arms...

Stella smiled at the little dolls. Her heart warmed at Brandon's meticulous care to make sure that she thoroughly experienced and enjoyed the joy of Christmas. Despite feeling like a lost puppy an hour or so ago, she felt her festive spirit return.

"Merry Christmas, Brand," Stella turned to him and smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Stell," he said as he kissed her forehead. "Wait here. I have something for you," he said.

"You didn't have to get me anything," she said but he already left her side and bolted off somewhere.

Stella gasped a few moments later when she saw him step into the living room carrying a large gift box.

"Where did that come from?!" the blonde gasped wide-eyed. "I swear I searched the whole house!"

He raised an amused eyebrow, setting the box in front of them. "And here I thought you didn't need anything?" he said, quoting her from earlier.

She blushed. "...I was just curious..." she admitted bashfully. She eyed the beautifully wrapped box. It was a plaster and glittering white with a blue satin bow wrapped around it into an intricate yet delicate bow. The box was almost a good three feet wide and three feet tall.

Stella stared unblinkingly at the box. Even if she _hadn't_ searched the house top to bottom, a box of such _enormous_ size was bound to show up _somewhere._ "...is this supposed to cover every Christmas there is?" she asked in shock, amazed by the size of the thing.

"No," he answered simply while tucking a few locks behind her ear.

"See! This is what I mean by extravagant spending! I already received my gifts from every one else, you know!" Stella scoffed while glaring at him pointedly at his clear lack of respect for money.

"Only the best for you, princess," he winked charmingly, making her cheeks grow warm.

"I'll be a spoilt brat at this rate. Just you wait," she mumbled before reaching over for the box.

He remained strangely as if anticipating for her reaction regarding _one_ particular item. He watched her gently pull on the ribbon and soon, the blue fabric fell to the floor in a tangled mess. Stella cut the box open and was amazed at the sight before her.

There were so many items laying in front of her, but one particular item caught her eye. Looking at it in confusion, her hand reached over to a deep red satin colored envelope. She picked it up and turned to him who simply smiled at her.

"...Don't tell me it's a love letter," she giggled before opening it.

"It's not," he said plainly. Stella looked at him a little weirdly, puzzled that he didn't reply with sort of comeback as he usually did.

And she knew why. The second she opened the envelope, her eyes began to water at the delicate, yet familiar handwriting. _Not again..._ she thought sadly, her lips quivering a little.

 _Her parents..._

Why were they tormenting her like this? Why can't they just let her deal with their death and move on? How is she supposed to move on at this rate?!

"Why...?" she asked brokenly, burying her face into her hands trying not to let the tears out. "WHY?!"

He simply held her shoulders tighter and didn't reply.

She lifted her face and turned to him. "How is this a present?" she asked painfully, waving the cruel letter in front of his face.

He stayed silent, not knowing how to answer it. He actually spent so much time debating whether or not he should slip it inside his goodie box.

Finding him silent, she felt even more lost. She turned her eyes towards the paper. She unfolded the paper gingerly, treasuring every inch with a delicate touch. It's a precious remnant from her past. _A past that's no longer part of her future._

She sniffled as she unfolded the letter. She tried her best to keep the heavily growing tears inside. She breathed in and out, trying not to cry. She knew that if she lets the pain out, it'll never stop coming out.

Her eyes fell on the letters as she perused the words with a blurry vision. From beside her, Brandon also read the letter.

 _Hey, sweetheart._

 _It's us. We know...we know...it's cruel of us to send you letters through time. But...even though we're not here with you, we want you to know that we'll continue to live in your memories._

 _And as always, we hope that you don't hate or resent us anymore. We're sorry, our dearest and sweet little girl, that we couldn't be with you there physically._

 _And we hope you found love with Brandon's family. They're one incredible family and that's the reason we entrusted you in their hands. We hope that both of you found love with each other living your life happily._

 _If, by chance, you're not and even if you had found someone else, we sincerely wish you two nothing but true happiness. You deserve everything your heart could ever desire for._

 _Merry Christmas, sweetheart._

 _With love always,_

 _Mom & Dad_

Stella clutched the paper tightly and closed her eyes. _Merry Christmas, sweetheart._ Oh how she wished they were here with her right now. She bit her lip tightly to keep her tears in. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry,_ she chided herself and forced herself to be strong.

"It's okay to cry," she heard a gentle voice from beside her.

"...You told me not to cry today," she looked at him in a small, cracked voice. "I can't...I can't bear this," she started to cry.

He simply held her close in a side hug. She put her legs up and sat cross-legged on the couch, cuddling up to him for comfort. "I miss them so much," she said in a small pained whisper as tears freely fell from her cheeks.

"I know, sunshine. I know," he said as he gently held her close.

Despite fighting against it, she sniffled as more tears dropped down her eyes. "How many more letters are there?" she asked, remembering how she got a similar one last year.

"This is the last one," he said. "I was supposed to give it to you last year. But..."

"...You jerk," she sniffled.

Stella let a small sob escape her lips as she read the letter over and over again. The ink was slightly faded and was a little messy. But nonetheless, this was another one of the prized possessions she received from her parents. It's not just a letter. It's the message that her parents were trying to give her during their last moments.

She clutched the paper tightly and hugged it close. She felt closer to them even now. Somehow, despite feeling a fresh wave of loss, she also felt as if a great burden has been lifted from her shoulders.

Biting her lip, she cried as her vision grew blurrier and blinding. Her tears started to soak through his shirt.

She turned to Brandon who was looking at her silently. "Don't ever let me leave again," she pleaded while clutching his shirt tightly for dear life.

"I won't," he said while cradling her shaking form. "I won't," he whispered again, telling that more to himself than to her.

Stella shook her head slowly, trying to block the heartbreak from her heart. "You're right...it's like you said. I don't want to remember that I cried on Christmas," she sadly smiled while moving closer to him.

"Wise words," he said.

She cuddled up to him tighter, his arm stroking the side of her waist. She took the box and placed it on the table. Placing the letter safely to the side, she opened the items one by one.

The first was a blue velvet case. Stella opened it curiously only for her to drop the box in shock. _Exquisite_ perfectly describes the jewels inside. It was a platinum, rose-cut diamond set with necklace and matching earrings. Teardrop pendants hung off from the chain, the center of which dangled an inch from the chain. The pendants had little stones set in them. _Amber._ Light streaks of gold were etched into the chain, showing off their scintillating splendor.

Unbeknownst to her, the reason he brought the set for her is not only because it was beautiful, but also because...the color of the stones were the exact color of her eyes. Her eyes were a dusky golden brown, a color that pulled him to her like a magnet.

Stella squealed as her saddened mood disappeared as she started to jump up and down in his arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she screamed happily. He chuckled at her excitement. "This must've cost a fortune though..." she said while tracing her fingers delicately over the costly gift. "I can't take-"

"You can and you will," he cut her off firmly.

She pouted. "You'll regret spoiling me," she smirked.

He laughed. "Yeah, we'll see."

Her face started to glow from happiness as she opened the other boxes eagerly. There was one more jewelry set with a pair of royal blue earrings. Stella screamed in delight when she found two glass cases of two of her favorite chocolates. More followed: a lime yellow halter-neck dress with white stones encasing the border, leather boots in brown and black, a cute keychain with a _teddy bear_ hanging off of it (Stella blushed when he mentioned her pajamas), her favorite scented perfume, a set of dozen assorted nail polish, a watch, a white floral scarf, a white summery dress with multi-color pastel flowers, lotion and other cosmetics, three pajama sets (this made Stella laugh), and hair accessories.

"When did you get all these...?" Stella trailed off in disbelief. She had been with him every single moment, unable to bear any more separation. _So...when?_ She looked at him and blushed a deep scarlet at the look he was giving her. It was a mixture of fond affection and an unwavering love.

"Thank you," she lunged forward to hug him and he laughed as he reciprocated, falling back on the couch with her on top of him. She'd obviously never take anything had it been from any other man.

She looked at him with the same longing and adoration, one that never faltered throughout the year she spent without him. She placed her head on his chest, her eyes closing at the beat of his calming heart. Tonight was one of the best nights she has ever had since the accident. He made sure that she remained happy and carefree all throughout the day without reminiscing about her parents.

And it worked. _Almost._ But he found a way to bring her closer to her parents.

She closed her eyes droopily when he started to run his fingers through her hair affectionately. Her eyes watered as she started to become a little emotional. She never imagined that she'd be _this_ happy. She never found she'd find such love. While it killed her to know that they broke up once...she also managed to put it behind them. They both made a mistake on that day and their mistake cost them a whole year. Being angry at each other only resulted in more pain. It wasn't worth it.

And now, she had her old life back. It's as if she never left at all. Her girl friends, Jay-

She gasped, leaving him to stop whatever he'd doing. "I almost forgot!" she gasped again as she remembered _her_ gift for him. She giggled internally because she had a feeling it would piss him off to no end.

"I have something for you!" she pulled on his collar excitedly.

"You didn't have to get me anything," he said.

"Neither did you," she tossed a pointed look towards the huge box beside her. He chuckled as she lifted herself off of him.

He watched as she ran off somewhere inside. A few minutes later, Stella emerged from one of the rooms with a HUGE smile on her face.

"YOUR PRESENT!" she exclaimed giddily while setting the box down in front of him.

"Present?" he raised an eyebrow at her mischievous and goofy grin. "Why do I feel like I'm gonna regret this?"

"Nooooooooo! Do you have any idea how much heart I put into this?" she squealed happily once more.

"You cooked for me this morning. That's all I really need, you know," he smiled. He felt immensely touched that she spent the early morning hours to cook such intricate dishes. He certainly woke up to a nice and beautiful surprise and he couldn't have asked for anything else from her.

"No, this one is different," she smiled, beaming up at him.

She started to jump up and down in her adorable excitement, leaving him to curiously wonder what she could have brought for him. But he had a sinking suspicion that whatever it was, he'll regret opening it.

"Okay..." he trailed off. "There better not be a punching glove come out of here," he glared, warning her strictly that she'll regret pulling such a stunt on him.

She smirked. "Why? Can't take a hit?"

He scoffed, his ego of the size of a dinosaur obviously injured. "Oh please," he snapped. In his attempt to prove her wrong, he pried open the wrapping paper and cast it aside. She moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "OPEN!" she screamed in his ear, nearly turning him deaf.

He glared sideways. "I am!" he snapped.

He took a deep breath and opened the cardboard box. He pulled the flaps open and peered inside. He blinked in shock as he finally understood why she was so damn _adamant_ in getting him this. It was a brown, large, stuffed teddy bear with short fur, black beady eyes, and black nose. But that's not what threw him off the rails. In the center of the toy's chest, there was a large printed name "BRANDY" in red stitched letters.

He growled, making Stella laugh. "MERRY CHRISTMAS, BRANDY BEAR!" the blonde screamed in delight, frustrating him to a whole new height.

"WHY, YOU LITTLE...!" he yelled.

She squealed when he grabbed her wrist but somehow managed to push him off. She jumped off the couch and made a run for it. Her laughs could be ringing all over the house. She screamed when she saw Brandon running behind her angrily, clearly for some payback. "GET BACK HERE, STELLA!" he growled predatoriusly.

She shook her head as she laughed and ran. "It was just a joke!" she yelled back in defense as she went straight into one of the bedrooms in front of her. There was no use in going upstairs. He'd catch up in a jiff.

Just as she was about to close the door, he slammed a fist on the door and stuck a foot in between. "Not. So. Fast," he smirked when she resembled a deer caught in headlights.

He pushed the door open and Stella ran for the opposite side of the bed. He shut the door behind him and locked it, trapping them both inside.

"It was a gift from me and Jay," she giggled nervously when she saw him making his way towards her.

"Yeah. I can tell," he smirked, inching his way towards her.

"...Do you like it?" she asked, backing up slowly.

"You'll find out in just five seconds," he snapped, making her laugh again. She made a run for it by jumping on the bed to go to the other side. Stella squealed when a hand sharply held her ankle, making her fall back on the bed with a soft thud.

"No! Let go!" she screamed half in fear and half out of amusement.

"What's the matter, sunshine? I just want to see you laugh," he grinned evilly.

She was about to ask what that meant but erupted in a fit of giggles as he started to tickle her. "NO! STOP!" she began to thrash violently in his hold, lost in her own mess of laughter. He tickled her waist while grinning as she tried to pry him off.

She started to laugh uncontrollably loud as a few tears leaked out of her eyes. She felt exhausted and sore, but his payback didn't stop. "Stopppppp!" she pleaded breathlessly as she continued to laugh under his mercy.

"What's the magic word?" he teased her while leaning closer.

"PLEASSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" she yelled out of desperation, clearly out of air. He laughed. Finally taking mercy on her, he stopped tickling. Heaving breathlessly, she rested against the mattress with closed eyes. Opening them a few seconds later, she glared up at him.

"You jerk," she hissed.

"Careful, baby. I can always continue, you know," he said, waving his fingers at her.

She turned red and fell silent. She greedily breathed in gulps of air while trying to catch her breath. Her heart beat violently against her chest as it rose and fell rampantly. She sat up a few seconds later.

"You need to control those anger management issues of yours," she said while poking his chest.

He chuckled. "I have a way to do that," he winked.

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

Without explaining himself verbally, he seized her waist and kissed her softly. She let out a surprised moan as he caressed her lips with his own. She closed her eyes and leaned onto him for support. Whenever he kissed her, she immediately grew light-headed and lovesick. She felt her heartbeat rise, refusing to come down.

"Merry Christmas, Stell," he whispered as he pulled just a breath away.

She opened her eyes to vibrantly blush. "Merry Christmas, Brandon," she whispered back.

He reclaimed her lips again, ready to assume what he had interrupted moments ago.

 _And it is a Merry Christmas indeed._

* * *

 _ **One month later...**_

 **~ 11:30 PM ~**

"Brandonnnnnnnnnnn!" Stella's shrill voice rang throughout the large penthouse. "GET BACK HERE, YOU!" she yelled, racing throughout the house. He laughed and ran up the stairs, with Stella hotly in pursuit, taking two steps at a time.

"Stell, it was just a joke, babe! Calm down!" he laughed a little nervously, concerned for his future well-being.

"I'll calm down when I throw your ass over this railing!" she growled, making a dash for him.

"Stella-!" he protested before turning around to run again. Out of instinct, he instantly ran for the bedroom they shared. _Sweet baby Jesus, help!_ he chanted while running behind the bed. He watched his beloved girl enter the room with fire emitting from her nostrils. Her eyes burned with an inextinguishable fire as she locked her piercing eyes with his.

"YOU...!" she snapped angrily while making her way towards him.

"I didn't do anything!" he protested while struggling not to laugh because he didn't want to piss her off any further.

"You jerk! You're cheating on me!" she yelled angrily while looking around for an object to hurl at him. She let out a 'ha' out of victory when she saw a TV remote laying on a table nearby. Picking it up, she tossed it from one hand to another, ready to show the highly attractive man who's boss around here.

He chuckled, but stopped suddenly when her eyes burned with such an intensity that could light up this whole room, if tried. "Stell-"

"For how long?! We've only been together for barely a week and you found another tramp already?!" she yelled as she chucked the remote at him. Surprised at her action, he dodged it and watched as the remote collided against the wall, narrowly missing his eye, before falling to the carpetted floor. The batteries of the device came flying out and he shook his head at her temper.

"Can we talk about this before you start destroying the house?" he straightened up.

"There's nothing to talk about! You're cheating on me!" she screamed in a fit of anger as she rushed towards the bed and climbed on it. Brandon's eyes widened as he immediately plastered himself to the wall, avoiding her suddenly flying fists by mere inches. "Woah! Stell, calm down!"

"WHICH STUPID TWIT CALLS AT TEN AT NIGHT?!" she yelled while packing another punch with her fist. "I'm gonna kill you tonight!" she snapped in rage. He raised an eyebrow before coiling a tight wrist around her arm. She squealed in surprise as a shot of pain travelled through her arm at the sudden force he caught her with. "LET GO!" she screamed in rage.

Brandon shook his head and travelled around the bed. He pulled her down and she fell on her knees. "Stel-" he started when she started hitting him again.

"Stel."

"Stella."

 _"Stella."_

 _"STELLA!"_ he finally yelled, his voice rising by many decibels. She stopped and pouted in anger. "You have the gall to shout at me?!" she asked incredulously.

"I do when you can't even give a chance to explain!" he fired back, ridiculous at the stupidity of this conversation.

"There's nothing to explain. Your _female_ and _personal_ secretary called you at ten at night. YOU JERK!" she snapped.

He facepalmed. "It was an important call, Stell! I have a job to uphold, you know!"

She scoffed. "You were giggling like an idiot. Maybe I should give Chris an important call too!" she snapped, pushing him away.

His eyes widened as he registered her words. She's that... _jealous?!_ He grabbed her wrist and tugged her to him. "Don't," he said.

"Don't what? Don't get in your way? Gladly," she rambled. "Go and be with that soulmate of your secretary!"

 _Soulmate?!_ He facepalmed again. "Stell, don't you think this is going far?"

"NO. YOU WERE TALKING TO THAT TRAMP FOR OVER AN HOUR! We're _so_ over," Stella mumbled as she pushed him away and sat cross-legged on the bed. She cupped her face and pouted like there was no tomorrow and he had to chuckle at just how dearly _adorable_ she was right now. Honestly, how could she doubt his love for her?

He sat next to her on the bed. "You honestly thought I would give my assistant more priority?" he asked in amusement.

"You sure as hell devoted an hour of your life to that _twit_ ," she put it bluntly, crossing her arms.

"Jealousy is a good look on you," he commented, not at all trying to appease her. Stella was incredibly beautiful when she's angry and right now, she's more than pissed off.

"I'm not jealous!" she turned to him angrily. "You're the irresponsible idiot here!"

He sighed a little dramatically, smirking a little on the inside. "So I can't convince you?"

"No," she replied stubbornly. "Not this time," she huffed.

"Really?" he smirked while leaning in closer to her. Stella gasped when he kissed her cheek, pulling a little closer. "Still can't persuade you?" he teased, his lips tracing her jawline before kissing her just below her ear.

"I...I..." she stammered, her face growing hot each passing second. He was very well aware of his effect on her and although it was cruel of him to use that to his advantage, it was enthralling to see Stella completely speechless every once in a while. His teasing didn't stop. His breath tickled her neck, making her nerves writh in a divine form of ecstasy. How can such a simple action ignite an inferno within her?

He began to place butterfly kisses along her collarbone, eliciting rampant and ragged breaths from her end.

"B-B-Bran..." she trailed off, while succumbing easily to his touch.

He gently pushed her onto the mattress and continued kissing her. "Tell me to stop and you know I will," he whispered with a victorious smirk. His free hand arched her body towards his own as he tortured her with his hot kisses. She was in no position to say or utter anything and she hated, yet loved the sensation all at the same time. She whimpered underneath his power but made no move to stop him. Instead, she clung to him for dear life as he devoured her moans.

He held her tightly, almost painfully, and traced his thumb over her lips. "You should know that by now...I have eyes for _**you and only you,"**_ he said, pulling back just a little. She nodded, unable to get out of the dazed torpor that he sent her in. If he had continued further, he wouldn't have been able to control himself. And...he knew that Stella isn't ready for that kind of step with him. And he, of course, respected her decision.

It was a blessing that she chose to place everything behind them and start where they picked up. Her eyes were still closed as her breaths came out a little ragged and urgent, further arousing his desire for her. Why doesn't she realize how beautiful and gorgeous she is? Why can't she realize how much she's torturing him? She's a cruel _vixen_ who had him oh-so successfully wrapped around her finger... _yet,_ the vivacious blonde doesn't realize it yet.

He got up from her body and toppled to the side. He buried his hands underneath his head and faced the ceiling. This past month has been amazing and made up for the time they had missed out on. Stella, beside him, slowly blinked her eyes as she finally got her breathing under control. She looked towards her right and blushed immensely. Brandon let out a small grunt when Stella moved and laid on top of him. She straightened herself on top of him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He smiled and raked a hand through her hair wordlessly, reminiscing about some of the best memories this past month. "I'll miss you," he spoke while kissing her forehead.

"I'll miss you too," Stella murmured as a small choked lump formed in her throat. She buried her head into the nape of his shoulder, her breath tickling his skin. She had only tomorrow and the day after that to enjoy with him before she's due to head back to NJ.

He silently stroked her hair, allowing his thoughts to consume him. He'll miss her for sure, but...this time, he's not heartbroken over her departure. This time, he has a guarantee that she'll return to him. This time... _things are different._

He'll definitely miss her, but he'll be able to smile each day. He just...he just won't feel agony anymore. Both his mind and heart... _are finally at peace._

"I love you, Stell..." he breathed softly, finally feeling allowing himself to indulge in the serenity of her warmth. He looked down at her, who apparently made no movement or even the slight squeak. His eyes softened when he saw her sleeping. _Already._

Trying not to move too much, he pulled the covers over both of them. Turning to the side, he gently dropped her body next to him. He caressed her fair face and wondered what he'd do without her.

If, a few years ago, someone told him that he'd fall in love for the second time...he'll probably dismiss it as nothing more than a stupid, notion. He never thought that he'd fall in love. _Again._

He thought about the first girl he loved. While she left a sore imprint on his life for a few years, Stella washed that pain away.

 _Skylar Black._

 _Stella Solaria._

Both of them are so different from each other. And the scary thing was that...Brandon felt a much more deep and persistent connection with Stella. His life, in a very short amount of time, revolved around her. He made a call to sign over his properties on her name only within a week from the time they started dating. _How crazy in love he had to be to do that?_

He breathed calmly as he gazed at her sleeping face. This face always had a refreshing, yet intoxicating effect on him. He would forget his worries, tensions, and whatnot because even if he's minorly troubled...the girl he loved was able to sleep without any disturbances. And that's more than enough for him. Skylar was his past but...Stella is his present _and_ future.

He smiled inwardly when she cutely scooted towards him in her sleep. "Good night, princess," he whispered to her while placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. He covered the duvet over her body before raising himself off the bed. The night was still young and he can work for a few hours before joining her.

* * *

 **~ 2:15 AM ~**

Brandon rubbed his eyes tiredly as he stretched. He rolled back his shoulder blades and rotated his neck to loosen up the stiff muscles. He had been sitting in an idle position for quite some time with the exception of his fingers furiously typing away on his laptop. He shut his computer down before standing up. Yawning just a little, he went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water.

The house was sinfully silent but for once, he found it soothing and oddly comforting. Just a month ago, he would've found it to be terribly suffocating. His lips stretched into a goofy smile when he thought about the reason for the abrupt change. His glance darted towards upstairs towards the direction of the master bedroom.

Setting the glass down, he sprinted out before going up the stairs, taking two at a time. He didn't care about the noise he made.

Stella was no ordinary heavy sleeper. She'll gladly sleep through earthquakes if she has to. He chuckled at the highly likely prospective and made his way towards their room.

His breath caught in his throat when he saw the position she was in. She messily lay sprawled on the bed and his eyes widened in amazement at her movements. But that's not why he appeared dazed.

The covers were pushed away to her hips, which led him to see the orientation of her in her cute pajamas. Her shirt had moved up by many inches, revealing her smooth and soft skin underneath. He slowly moved towards their bed and gently pushed her aside. He slipped inside the covers without moving too much before he pulled her closer.

Chuckling, he smiled against her cheek before his hand slowly pulled the shirt down. He was just thankful that she wasn't wearing one of her nightgowns. He didn't think he had the strength to pull that flimsy fabric down. He held her in his arms before pulling the covers over both of them.

He closed his eyes in peace, listening to her ever so lightly snoring her worries away.

 _"Good night, princess,"_ he mumbled as his last words before sleep engulfed himself into total darkness.

* * *

 ** _Preview for the next chapter:_**

 _"Skylar...?" he whispered in shock as his eyes went wide and lips slightly parted open. He watched a young woman in her early twenties elegantly walk towards him with a victorious and confident smile._

 _She halted just in front of him. "Brandon...it's been a while..." she smiled and moved to wrap her arms around his neck. She moved closer and nuzzled her lips near his ear. "Hasn't it?" she whispered while the brunette gaped in never-ending shock and stood frozen solid._

* * *

 **...I'm really sorry for the late update. I spent nearly 5-6 hours on this because I have a little free time. I'm also not sure if anyone still has the patience/time to read this story. I'm really busy at the moment, so I cannot guarantee regular updates. I'm really sorry for that, but I hope you understand.**

 **Thank you.**


	26. Love Me, Lust For Me

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

Hey, guys! It feels so good to publish for this story again!

I want to thank each and every person who showed me their kindness through a hard time in my life. Thank you for standing up for me against the mean person.

And also, before I move on, I want to thank some of the special people in Fanfiction: _**ekatykat8** _and _**PinkiePie24**_. I love you both so much ^_^ Thank you so much for making me feel better about the mean review. I was in a very low point of my life at that time due to personal family losses. I was crying and mourning a lot that I wasn't able to properly eat/drink for days. That's normal for someone in mourning, I guess. And receiving such a mean review for no reason at all and for no fault of mine...just broke me all over again.

But talking to you both just made my day. You're right. I shouldn't let an exceptionally rude stranger get to me since there are a hundred others ready to show their love/support for me. If I could, I'd definitely hug you, but since I can't...I'm sending virtual hugs your way! Those people who share not only happiness but also the sad times are the truest friends. Your friends are _so_ lucky to have you both. ^_^ If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, I'm always here for you, girls.

Thank you :*!

 **This chapter is dedicated to those people who have stood up for me in the hard times ^_^ It feels so good to write again since it helps me get my mind off of things. But I'm still feeling a bit low so I'm not sure about this chapter. If it downright sucked, do let me know in the reviews, please. Thank you.**

 _Moving on...!_

 _ **WAIT!**_

 **NOTE #2:** For my much, much younger audience with adorable, sweet, and innocent souls, please do me and yourself a favor by turning your face away as you approach like... Ugh. You'll know. _**Rating M**_ headed your way! This means...if you're not 18, _SKIP THE HELL OVER IT._ You still went further? You dirty-minded child! I warned you though! xD

* * *

 ** _(Song credits: Aphrodisiac by Eleftheria_ _) -_ I love this song sooo much! I highly recommend it for closet romantics who'd enjoy a good beat xD**

* * *

 _ **One month later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - 6:30 AM ~**

 _"I gotta say what's on my mind. When I'm with you, I feel alright."_

 _"You call me, baby, and we spend the night. I'm so addicted, I feel alive! Over and over, I'm falling!"_

 _"OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH! You make me dance like a maniac!"_

 _"OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH! You make me want your aphrodisiac!"_

Stella's eyes fluttered open when her favorite ringtone started to buzz from beside her bed. She knew exactly who was calling right now. This particular ringtone was set for a particular tall, brown-haired alpha male.

She peeped outside the curtains and saw that the sun hasn't risen yet. It was still the first light of dawn. As much as she loved calls from Brandon, calling at a time like this and disturbing her sleep was just unacceptable. Groaning, she picked up her phone and fell back on the bed.

"The person you're calling is currently trying to go back to sleep," Stella sleepily snapped into the phone.

A deep chuckle erupted from the other end. Stella's eyes peeled open when she felt warm tingles travel up and down her body. "Didn't you tell me to give you a wake-up call at this time?" Brandon smirked from the other end. She called him late last night after having a crazy pajama party, apparently. She had so sweetly asked him to give her an early morning wake up call.

He was currently leaning against the bed's headboard of the master bedroom. It wasn't a problem for him to wake up at this time. But the same could not be said for a certain blonde.

He chuckled when Stella gasped. "BRANDON, WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?! ?#$%!" she yelled into the phone.

He rolled his eyes. "Streamline cursing is not just your forte, just saying."

He laughed when he heard a bunch of distant shuffling and a stream of 'I'm so late' from the other end. He hung up with an amused smile, letting her go on with her day.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - New York - 8:30 AM ~**

"I told you from time and time again that we will _not_ be accepting your products, Mr. Williams," Brandon Shields said with narrowed eyes while crossing his arms. He rotated slightly from left to right in his revolving chair in a relaxed manner.

Blake Williams, CEO of Blake Industries, stood up sharply and pounded a fist on the table in front of him.

"Dr. Shields, I would like to point out that my influence spreads throughout the IT industry quite well," Williams hissed 'professionally'.

Brandon remained silent for a few seconds before speaking. "I'll assure you that threatening me isn't the best idea, Mr. Williams," he spoke darkly. "Speak to me like that again and I'll have no problem handing over your goods to my attorney." Brandon's eyes flashed as he slowly stood up. _"Do I make myself clear?"_ he warned heatedly.

Williams faltered slightly as sweat slightly trickled . "Y-Yes, sir, of course. My sincerest apologies."

"I think you've overstayed your welcome," Brandon nodded his head in the direction of the exit and sat back again.

He watched the middle-aged man leave, nearly stomping his way out the door but not without leaving behind an aggravated huff. He sighed and pressed a little button underneath his desk that locked the office door using electromagnetic lock sets. "The people I encounter sometimes..." he closed his eyes briefly for a few moments before opening them again.

His frustrated moment was interrupted when his phone rang. Sighing, he picked it up. "Dr. Shields speaking," he addressed himself neutrally without even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Wife of Dr. Shields speaking!"

His eyes widened as he jerked a little in his chair. She never usually called him in the mornings. She had classes and he was busy with work. "Stel?" he asked, wondering if he should be worried.

"Sorry. Bad time?"

"No, no. What's up?"

"Are you really that busy or you felt like bragging your doctorate over the phone earlier?" she asked cutely.

He chuckled. "I didn't check. That's all."

"...Come get meeeeeeee!" she suddenly yelled.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't know if you're aware, Dr. Shields. _But,_ I'm having the _lousiest_ week! My favorite dress was _stolen! STOLEN!_ That's what I get for staying in a crowded dorm hall."

He chuckled. "That's your reason?"

"YES! It was a yellow one! You brought it for me," she said sadly. "And that thief _clearly_ has an excellent taste as well."

"So I'm just gonna pretend that we're not having this silly conversation," he sighed dramatically.

"I rented out a few DVDs a few days ago and turns out that they don't have the right CDs in them!" she huffed angrily.

He facepalmed while she continued as if she lost something _very_ valuable.

"Oh and this is rich. Bloom bailed on me _again._ I'm not sure if Sky lives in New York anymore. He's here every damn day!" she screeched while Brandon shook his head in exasperation.

"Uh huh," he said absentmindedly. His attention shifted towards an article that was just posted on the Internet. He set his phone down and put it on speaker while she continued blabbing.

"AND THEN, oh this is rich! Turns out my favorite couple of _Gossip Girl_ just broke up! That's sooooo unfair! How can life be so cruel!" she started to sniffle.

"Uh huh," he said again, completely tuning her silly reasons out while smiling a little fondly anyway.

"And then-"

"Uh huh," he nodded.

"Then...Brandon, are you even listening?!"

"Uh huh," he smirked while turning his attention to the phone. He can imagine a deafening screen any time now-

"YOU LIARRRR!" she screamed, leaving him to reduce the speaker volume in amusement. _Bulls eye!_

"I can't believe your nerve!" she snapped.

"Stell...I'm working, okay? Can't we talk later about your unfortunate events?" he teased.

"Later? How about never? God knows how _I_ might be the reason you're fired!" Stella gasped sarcastically. "'Kay, bye!" And with that, she hung up without opening a window for him to speak.

He facepalmed again. He loved her to death, but she can be such a child sometimes. He looked out the window and was greeted with a white city. Sighing, he tuned his eyes towards the calender on his computer.

Brandon's eyes widened when he saw the date. "Stella's birthday is this weekend..." he thought aloud. He slapped his forehead, wondering how the hell he forgot.

But he knew the _exact_ reason why. She somehow made time fly by so fast, yet each moment with her was dreadfully special. Each second with her was a treasure that will never be forgotten by him.

Ironically, he prepared her birthday gift during Christmas itself. He had initially debated on giving it early since she'll leave soon, but went against the idea and dismissed it at the last minute.

Pressing the intercom, he stood up and adjusted his suit. In a few moments, a young woman entered through the door with a pen and writing pad in her hand.

"Yes, Dr. Shields?" she asked politely.

"Lisa, please free up this Friday and the rest of the weekend for me," he declared to his secretary.

"But, sir, you have an appointment with the board of directors on Saturday," the secretary informed in panic.

Brandon stopped. _Stella's birthday is Saturday,_ he thought. _Yet,_ he can't miss a meeting with the board. He can reschedule the others, but this...this was something the company cannot afford to mess with. Then again, he can't miss her birthday either. Today was Wednesday and her birthday is literally in three days.

"...Can you shift it to Friday, Lisa?" he asked with a sigh.

"I'm afraid not, sir. Dr. Hank will be flying late at Friday night, so he can't make it until Saturday," she informed.

"...Fine. Leave the meeting as it is. For the rest, prepone Saturday's _and_ Sunday's appointments to Friday," he spoke.

"Yes, sir," the secretary smiled. "Oh and sir, you have a meeting in an hour with Dr. Smith."

"Yes, I'm aware. Thank you, Lisa," he smiled.

She nodded and left.

"F**king great," he cursed to himself while flopping into the chair again angrily. He looked out the window as a means of distraction. Not even a moment later, his mind swirled and swam with the thoughts of Stella. Is this what head over heels means? He never felt this deeply for anyone _ever_ before. _Not even for Skylar,_ he finished.

He didn't like it. For some reason, he just didn't like the thought of falling in this deep for the blonde. Not at the moment anyway. For some reason, there's a nagging pull somewhere deep within him that told him that something was going to go _wrong._

He threw his head back and closed his eyes. His phone rang again and he had the urge to chuck it hard against the wall. His work always got the worst of him and today was the day where being the CEO awakens the beast inside of him.

"WHAT?!" he yelled into the phone, unaware of the caller.

He heard a small gasp on the other side. "...I just wanted to talk to you... but nevermind, I'll call later...maybe," Stella spoke before slowly hanging up.

He closed his eyes in frustration when he heard Stella's hurt voice. _What is wrong with me?_ he muttered to himself, not sure why he was so angry. No, no, he wasn't angry. He was just...frustrated.

Whatever the reason, he had no right to show it towards anyone especially to the girl he claimed to love. He picked up the phone again and dialed her number.

... _No response._

Typical.

 _Great. Guess I deserve it,_ he sighed while calling her again.

To his surprise, she actually picked up this time. "What?" she asked dully.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you," he sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"It's fine. I have to head to class anyway. I'll call later," she murmured a little bitterly.

Brandon resisted the urge to break his phone in half when he heard her hang up. _I'm insane_ , he muttered. He'd been on edge all week and it was driving him nuts. And now, Stella playing hard to get is just not helping.

Groaning, he threw his head back and covered his closed eyes with his arm.

 _It's official. He needs a vacation._

* * *

 _ **Many, many hours later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - Residential Hallway - 7:30 PM ~**

Stella sat on her bed cross-legged and rocked herself impatiently while glaring stupendously at the phone sitting innocently in front of her. _Call, call, call...!_ she thought while pouting in disappointment.

"Any reason you're boring lasers into your phone?" Tecna asked out of amusement while looking up from her laptop.

Stella huffed. "I need Brandon to appropriately apologize now!" she screamed while pulling her hair out.

"For what?" Tecna laughed.

The bathroom door soon opened to reveal Bloom who stumbled out while ruffling her hair.

"That little prick yelled at me this morning and I need a heart-felt apology," the blonde huffed. "BUT he hasn't called yet!"

Bloom laughed. "Stell, chill. You know how guys are."

"Easy for you to say," Stella rolled her eyes. "Sky practically lives in NJ now and visits you like every other day. And he treats you like a queen."

"Brandon treats you like a queen too. Jeez. Self-pity much?" Bloom rolled her eyes while Tecna watched the exchange with occasional shakes of her head at her friends' issues. Why can't they just talk it out? She can't remember a time when Timmy and her didn't go an hour without talking.

"At least Sky doesn't have a temper tantrum for no reason," Stella sighed sadly.

Bloom whistled. "Uh uh. Do you have _any_ idea how mad Sky gets when I don't have sex with him at least thrice every visit?!" she explained while shaking her head.

"Gross! That's way too much information!" Stella covered her ears while Tecna scrunched her face in raw disgust.

"Ugh. You girls are such babies," Bloom muttered darkly while moving towards her own bed with a roll of her eyes at their immaturity. "It's a natural process, one that you _need_ to experience."

"ANYWAYS," Stella cut her off firmly. "Let's just drop the subject," the blonde sighed while falling back on the mattress.

Shyly, she pondered over what Bloom just said though. Sky and Bloom are clearly still in love and have been ever since they met. They fight publicly but their spats never caused a dangerous rift in their relationship.

When it came to Stella, however, now that was a different story. An argument caused a year rift in her relationship. An argument that started out as nothing became a nightmare that haunted and plagued her for one solid year. In the midst of all that, she never once thought about sex with Brandon. It's not that she didn't love him. She did but...

Stella bit her lip. _Were they really ready for that kind of step?_ She blushed a shade at the mere thought. His gaze was enough to take her breath away. His hugs...his kisses...the way he looked at her...she never felt more beautiful in her life. She never felt so special and so loved. Maybe that's why she's scared. She's so wrapped up around him that he became the center of her universe. This man drove her to absolute madness and to say that she missed him was a crazy understatement.

 _But what if...what if he's not ready for something like that?_ she thought. _Ugh, who am I kidding? Men are always ready,_ she blushed to herself.

 _Or not. Uh uh. I can't say that,_ she shied away from her earlier conclusion. What if...what if Brandon doesn't see her that way? What if he doesn't find her attractive enough? What if...what if he just doesn't...what if he doesn't like her that way?

Stella frowned. She honestly didn't know if she could bear that kind of rejection. And truthfully speaking, in their relationship, they never once told each other that they loved each other.

 _I love you._

Not once had Stella said it and neither did Brandon. They've been playful around each other till now. _Should I say it first?_ But what if Brandon doesn't love her enough to say it back?

She didn't know what she'd do in that case. Mostly likely or, actually, she's certain that she'll be devastated. She'll never be able to bear that. Instead, maybe...it's just better to keep mum and shut up about the subject.

...

* * *

 **~ New York - 8:00 PM ~**

Brandon made up the stairs of the familiar driveway and knocked on the front door. He sighed while tapping his foot a little too impatiently.

He groaned audibly in raw irritation when he saw none other than his father open the door. "Is mom inside?" he asked testily.

"You could've called to find out if you didn't want to see me so badly," Lucas crossed his arms, feeling a little hurt.

"I don't need an appointment to see her," Brandon rolled his eyes and pushed past his father. "Mom!" the brunette called out.

"In the kitchen!"

Brandon tossed a stubborn glare towards his father before stomping off, not realizing how his actions just hurt his father. _How many times do I have to apologize before he'll realize?_ Lucas sighed sadly before looking down on the floor, feeling dejected.

"Hey, mom," Brandon sighed before kneeling against the countertop.

"Here for relationship advice?" Heather winked knowingly.

The brunette huffed and rolled his eyes. "My relationship is just fine, thank you very much!"

Heather crossed her arms and tossed him a look that practically said 'Yeah right'.

He squirmed a little under his mother's gaze. "What made you say that?"

"For starters, you look like total crap. You haven't slept in days. You've been unnaturally bitter for no reason at all," Heather listed off each reason one by one on her fingers. "And most importantly, Stella told me you told her to buzz off."

He scoffed. "That brat. She's lying."

"Is she?"

"Why doesn't she realize that I'm working?! I have a job to keep!"

Heather sighed. "Did you ever realize that maybe...she just wants to talk to you? It's her birthday this weekend. Obviously, she wants you to be there with her."

"Well, she can't. I have a meeting with the board on that day. I'll call her later," he looked away stubbornly.

He howled suddenly when Heather came and punched his shoulder hard. "MOM! What was that for?!" he grimaced while rubbing his sore arm. "Why do the women in my life prefer talking with their fists?!"

"Well, being the ass you are, you totally deserve it. I don't care what the hell is happening on Saturday, but you will be there with that girl. Dad can take your place at the meeting," Heather explained sternly.

"No. He won't. I-" he stopped suddenly when Heather looked as if she's gonna slap his face.

"You know what? On second thought, that sounds fantastic," he said.

"Yeah, I thought so too."

Brandon sighed. "...But I don't think I miss her, mom. I don't miss her at all. Is that bad?"

Heather suddenly turned from the stove with her eyes widening. "...Is that why you're pushing her away?"

"What? I'm not pushing her away," the brunette shook his head.

"...You longed for her for one whole year and now that she's back...you don't seem happy. Of course, it _is_ bad."

"I _am_ happy that she's with me again. I just...I don't know," he sighed.

"Just talk to one another and sort it out. Don't lead her on, Brandon. I, for one, won't stand to see Stella hurt because of you. Not again," Heather warned.

"Mom! It's not like I'm breaking it off with her! Jeez, give a guy a break," he muttered while rolling his eyes.

"You better not," Heather threatened.

* * *

 **~ New York - 2:30 AM ~**

The young, muscular brunette laid wide awake even though it was past his usual bed time. He normally slept a little less than one o'clock, at the latest being two. But tonight, he couldn't fall asleep.

Work was his biggest and profound distraction from life. He honestly liked diving deep into meetings (even though they bored him to death a dozen times), but that was the thing. It gave him a consistency and responsibility in life.

He had another responsibility as well. _Stella._ He promised her that he would never hurt her ever again. He promised her that he'll be the man she deserved. He frowned when he felt an all-too-familiar feeling of guilt. He told his mom earlier that he didn't miss her that much. How could that not be? He snapped at her earlier and didn't talk to her again. Shouldn't he have tried harder? Once upon a time, he drove to New Jersey every time he accidentally snapped. If he chose to see her at such a small issue, why wasn't he compelled to go see her now?

In fact, he wanted to be nowhere near her. He didn't trust himself about her. This Christmas, there were so many times he nearly slipped his restraint around her. She was too precious to him and to lose any kind of control...would devastate him.

He sighed a little in relief as he concluded his diagnosis.

 _Control._ Or, rather, the lack of it.

He had absolutely no control over himself and that was his biggest reason to not go over there. It's not that he didn't want to see her. _Of course he did._

He just...he would just be able to breathe a little normally when she's not around. Sighing, he picked up his phone. Now that he's finished satiating the reasons over this matter, he had a responsibility to fix it.

He looked at the time and chuckled fondly. She'd be sleeping right now. _As usual,_ he finished to himself.

He typed the words he wanted to say all day long without sounding like a jerk. _"I'm sorry for this morning, sunshine."_

And... _Send._

It may be such a small thing in general, but to him, it's very huge. She thought he snapped at her, but truth is, he would've snapped at anyone. _Honestly, she's truly a sweetheart for putting up with me,_ he chided himself while ruffling his brown mane in frustration.

* * *

 **~ Princeton University - 2:20 AM ~**

 _Toss, turn, toss, turn._

Nope, sleep was just a thousand miles away.

 _Toss, turn, toss, turn._

Despite trying her level best, Stella couldn't fall asleep. She practically exhausted her phone at least three times and even tried taking a walk. To her dismay, she couldn't. She just couldn't.

A ping to her phone alerted her. _Probably some advertising company,_ Stella thought in boredom while picking it up from her nightstand. Oh well. At least, it gave her something to do.

Her eyes brightened to a thousand lumens as she nearly screamed in delight at seeing a text message from her beloved boyfriend. Or husband. Ugh. Whatever. Designation's not important.

Eagerly, she opened it. Her eyes glistened with happy pools of molten gold when she saw his heartwarming words. Laughing softly to herself, she noiselessly picked herself off the bed before exiting the room to give her roommates their much needed sleep as well as herself a little privacy.

Her fingers quivered as she proceeded to call him. The phone rang once before, to her delight again, he lifted. "Forgiven and forgotten," she chirped sweetly into the phone.

"Stel? Hey, what are you doing up at this hour?" Brandon asked with his eyes wide. To expect a call from her was nothing less than a pleasant surprise.

"I couldn't sleep," she mumbled.

"Look, I'm sorry about today, okay? I had a lot on my mind and I didn't think you'd call again," he admitted truthfully to her.

"It's okay," she smiled. "Is everything okay?"

"Mhm," he hummed while listening to her angelic voice. He smiled widely and genuinely, feeling like the first time in days, and this time, it reached his eyes.

"...Can I ask you something?" she slowly said.

"I'm listening."

"...Do you think...that if hypothetically...if I...just hypothetical! If hypothetically-" she stammered foolishly like an idiot.

"Would you just get on with it?!" Brandon chuckled out of amusement.

"...Um...I'm going to say something and I'll cut the call immediately because I'll be soooooooooooooooooooooooo embarrassed-"

"No, you won't. Now, I'm curious. Why would I do anything that's going to embarrass you?" he asked while shaking his head. "I'll admit it's very tempting though," he smirked.

"Brandon!" she whined.

"Okay, okay. Just ask already."

"...If, hypothetically, I say that I love you...would you say it back?" she suddenly said nervously before her breath caught in her throat. Her heart banged itself loudly against the walls of her still chest while her frenzy brain turned dizzy.

 _Silence._

That was what she was greeted with. Tears threatened to pool in her eyes as she faced the humiliation of _rejection._ Unable to stop herself, she cut the call before her phone fell to her sides. _No, he won't. How can I hope for that anyway?_ Stella thought with teary eyes. _He clearly doesn't love me that much._ "I'm so stupid! Why can't I be satisfied with what I have?! Why should I be so selfish?!" she scolded herself harshly while unwillingly crying pitifully to herself.

As if to answer her questions, her phone started to vibrate once again. She lifted it and gasped when she saw a video call from _him._ She freed her eyes of any moisture before gingerly swiping it to answer.

She stared at him wordlessly and shamefully looked away. "I'm fine, okay? It was just a hypothetical question-"

"No, it wasn't," he cut her off firmly, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Was it?" he asked softly, a smile threatening to break out onto his face.

"Why did you cut the phone?" he asked her gently. "Oh and Stell...you have _awful_ timing for questions," he chuckled. He wished so badly to be there next to her _right freaking now_ to show her how much he indeed loved her.

She remained silent while he continued.

"Was it really a hypothetical question, sunshine?" he asked seriously this time, chucking away any remaining cockiness.

She slowly shook her head. "No, it wasn't," she truthfully admitted.

Despite not being there with her, he could see the fear in her crystal amber eyes. _Fear of rejection._

"Do you love me?" he asked again.

"...I do," she admitted nervously.

Unable to resist, a smile broke out on his face. "Well, let me tell you what I feel. If it was a hypothetical question...I'd tell you..."

 _And here it is,_ Stella thought sadly.

"That I love you too," Brandon admitted while gazing into her perfect amber eyes. He recalled admitting that to her sometime a month ago, but she had fallen asleep. And he had no idea why he couldn't tell her that to her face.

Stella gasped at his reply. She felt as if a thousand fireworks exploded inside of her chest. Happiness molded itself onto her face as she started to laugh happily. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she started to twirl out of joy at his heartfelt words. These were the best words of her entire life!

He smiled at her childlike mentality and state of ecstasy. That's when he realized that all of his insecurities since morning were just...not worth it. He could spend the rest of his days watching her dance and laugh happily. Her smile, as cheesy as it may sound, was the thing that lit up his world and he couldn't have asked for a better gift from anyone.

 _Stella_ is his life's _best_ surprise.

"I love you!" she suddenly screeched while hugging her phone dearly to her to make up for the lack of his presence.

"I love you too," he laughed. "And I'd love it even more if you went and got some sleep."

"Screw it," she dismissed his idea. He watched her eyes twinkle with excitement. "You literally made me the happiest girl alive. Do you know that?" she gushed.

"I can tell," he smirked. "You would've made me the happiest man alive if you had asked it when I was with you last month," he rolled his eyes.

"I was scared, okay? I had my defense," she stubbornly argued.

"Go to sleep, sunshine. We can talk on the weekend," he smiled softly at her. _Really talk._

"Okay. Good night," she wished while waving her hand at him.

"Good night," he winked.

Blushing, Stella blew him a little kiss before cutting the call. She happily held her phone for a few moments before walking back towards her dorm. She felt like she could burst any second. "He loves me! He loves me! Me! Me! Me!" she twirled herself into her room before jumping on her bed. She finally let her heart settle in peace. So...did this really take their relationship to the next level?

 _Did it?_

* * *

 _ **Two days later...**_

 **~ Shields' Corporations, New York - 2:00 PM ~**

"Lisa, I don't care how you do it, but I need this meeting with the board to happen TODAY! Better yet, RIGHT NOW!" Brandon nearly yelled at his secretary. Lisa Haydon, his friend and personal secretary, who was quite used to her boss's temper tantrums by now, knew better than to argue loudly with him.

"Can I drop the formalities for a few minutes, sir?" Lisa spoke.

"To hell with your formality! The meeting takes away-!"

"No, this meeting takes place every month! And we can't do it without Dr. Hank!"

"I don't care. Either you reschedule it or I bail on everyone," Brandon stubbornly crossed his eyes and huffed.

"You're such a child. What's so wrong with working on Saturday?! It's not like you never worked from home before! You even came to office once on Sunday!"

"It's not that," he sighed. "...Stella's birthday is tomorrow and I want to be there for her," he admitted.

Lisa's eyes widened as she grinned wolfishly. "Well, why didn't you just say so?! I'll see what I can do."

"Oh you can finally do it now?!" he started yelling again.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "No. I was just kidding."

"LISA!" Brandon yelled out of frustration.

"Look, it's only for four hours."

"FOUR HOURS?!" he paled immediately and slumped further into his chair. "You're talking to me as if that's nothing!"

"Compared to twenty four, that's nothing. Look, there's no way to get out of it unless there's another CEO or someone qualified enough to take your place. And from I heard, your father is heading out to Seattle tomorrow to nurse our second branch."

"I know," Brandon sighed in disappointment. "Fine. Just...schedule it to finish as early as possible, please."

"Now, _that,_ I _can_ do." Lisa picked up her bag before exiting out of the room.

"Great," Brandon sighed before throwing his head back in frustration.

It hasn't even been a few minutes before a knock interrupted him again. "Come in," he snapped. He honestly needs to ban people from knocking unless it's an emergency.

"What crawled up your butt and died?" a deep, amused voice laughed.

Brandon's eyes widened when he saw two of his favorite people walk into the room. "Flora! Helia!" the brunette's lips stretched into a wide smile as he gave Helia a manly hug and Flora a hug and a light kiss on her cheek.

"How's the baby doing?" Brandon asked his sister although the answer was clearly visible on her face. There was still no visible bump as Flora is only about a little less than three months along.

Flora's jade eyes beamed with a strong motherly pride as she moved in a side hug with Helia. "Active, I'll tell you that," she laughed while tenderly clutching her stomach. "This little munchkin keeps me awake at night."

Brandon laughed. "Why do I smell a great pro football player?"

Helia smirked. "My man!" he laughed while giving a high-five to Brandon in agreement. "I told you so. Even he thinks so," Helia nudged his fiancee who only huffed.

"It's a girl," Flora defended.

"Female football player? Yeah, we better watch out," Brandon chuckled, earning another high-five from Helia.

"How's Stella doing?" Flora asked curiously.

"She's fine," Brandon smiled. The couple before him couldn't help but notice the twinkle in his brown eyes.

"Did something happen between you two?" Helia grinned wolfishly.

Flora smirked. "No worries, I'm ready to be an aunt!"

Brandon facepalmed while they laughed at his expense. "We're both doing just fine, thank you," he snapped.

"Now, _that,_ we can tell. We just think-" Helia started.

"No baby bells ringing for us anytime soon, thank you again," Brandon rudely interrupted.

Flora laughed at her brother. "Well, anyways. We came by to give you this," the light brunette gave Brandon a card.

Brandon's eyes widened to see a wedding invitation in his hands. "I need an invitation to come and see you?!" he asked incredulously. "Sisters these days..."

Flora slapped his shoulder. "I'm just showing it to you, you idiot. It's in April," she explained while pointing towards the date.

"Already?!" Brandon exclaimed while flipping through the invitation.

The brunette hugged his sister. "I'm so happy for you both. You're marrying the best man I know," he grinned while fist pumping Helia.

Helia patted Brandon's back. "Thanks, man."

"Well, we have to go give these out to the others," Flora smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Brandon nodded. "Be careful," he said.

Flora nodded with a small, affectionate smile on her face before leaving with Helia.

Brandon couldn't help but wonder how quickly time flew by. His younger sister was really marrying the best man. Helia is not only protective, but his gentle, caring, and loyal nature made him an ideal fit for any girl's dream guy.

Brandon sat in his chair, deep in thought. He wondered what kind of man he was. He was more than attractive and he knew that. He was protective of Stella and he'd rather die before letting anything happen to her. He had always been gentle, caring, and loving of her. _Except once._ It was a costly mistake from his part. He knew he had to atone for it somehow.

He didn't recall making any other mistakes during their relationship. She's happy with him. A goofy smile stretched onto his handsome face when he recalled how she joyful she was last night when he admitted to truly loving her with every fiber of his being. "She's happy. And that's all that matters," he whispered to himself. He eyed the date.

Just a couple more hours. And...

 _It'll be Stella's birthday._

* * *

 _ **Many hours later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - 11:58 PM ~**

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Bloom scowled at the sleeping blonde. "It's her birthday so how can she freaking sleep?!"

Tecna laughed with a shake of her head. "We're not kids anymore, Bloom."

"I don't care. Sky better not let me sleep through my birthday," the redhead fluttered dreamily at the mere thought of her handsome blonde boyfriend.

Tecna rolled her eyes. "Ugh," she gagged in disgust.

"STELLLLAAAA!" Bloom yelled loudly and to that, Stella sat up with a jolt in fright. She screamed in fear as she tumbled out of the bed and landed on the floor on her butt. The blonde clutched her hammering heart while Tecna and Bloom nearly fell to the floor from laughing.

"You _bitch!"_ Stella screamed while standing up and starting to chase Bloom around the room.

Tecna checked her watch. _12:00!_ "Happy birthday, Stell!" she squealed while hugging her running blonde friend. Bloom joined in as well. "Happy birthdaaayyyy!" the redhead sang.

Their little moment of cat and mouse chase was over. "Aww, thank you, girls," Stella's eyes shimmered happily.

"Honestly, no offense, your 22nd birthday was a total bummer," Bloom shuddered dramatically.

Tecna facepalmed and tossed the redhead a look.

"What? You're back with Brandon, so we're allowed to joke around!" Bloom giggled, earning laughs from the other two.

"Thank you, girls," Stella said once more.

"I thought your little boy toy would beat us to it," Bloom scratched her head in confusion while scouring the room for presents.

"He's not my boy toy," Stella scoffed. "He's just...he...you know what? Fine. Let's just go with that."

"See?! Thank you!" Bloom pointed victoriously.

"Presents!" Tecna exclaimed while shoving two boxes in Stella's hands. One from each of them.

One was wrapped in purple and lime green wrapping paper while the other was done in blue and pink. Classic colors of her friends. Stella eagerly opened them both at the same time.

She gasped as she pulled out a sapphire blue colored dress along with matching accessories. "How'd you...?" she trailed off. A few weeks ago, the trio made a trip to the mall and seeing this dress on a mannequin, Stella immediately wanted one. By the time she went inside to get it, someone already beat her to it.

"C'mon, Stel. I'd totally fail as your best friend if I didn't get you this!" Bloom said while slinging an arm over her.

"Thanks, Bloom," Stella grinned.

"My turn," Tecna clapped while shoving her present into Stella's face.

Stella laughed and opened the box. It was fairly smaller than Bloom's. A squeal erupted from her lips when she saw a little object sitting inside. "This is a limited edition bracelet!" Stella gasped as she looked a rose-golden, diamond-cut, expensive bracelet.

"No way!" Bloom squealed as she peeked inside. "Tecna really did outdid herself."

"Tec, I can't take this-"

"If I mean anything to you, you will," Tecna said firmly while cutting her off.

"Thank you so much, both of you," Stella said while she hugged them tightly.

"Oh. And this is from both of us," Bloom said while giving her another one.

Opening it curiously, Stella's eyes widened slowly. "I thought I lost this dress," she whispered while pulling a floral white pattered dress. It was the same dress that she thought was stolen somewhere from the washing machines of the hostel a week ago. She loved this dress so much. Not only it was gorgeous, but it was because Brandon had gifted it to her.

"It's a copy. Luckily, we saw it at the mall the other day. I know it doesn't mean as much as it does from Brandon, but-" Tecna started.

"No, of course not! Thank you so much," Stella grinned while folding them neatly before carefully tucking them away into her closet.

"So, what do you plan on doing-?" Bloom started but was cut off by Stella's phone ringing maniacally.

The redhead laughed and picked up Stella's phone, leaving the blonde to scream. "Give that back here!"

"Sorry, Brandon, you're toooooooooo lateeee!" Bloom sang into the phone. A deep chuckle could be distinctively heard from the other end. Stella snatched it away from her with a scowl. Ignoring their giggles, the blonde bolted out of the room for some room.

"She's kind of right though," Stella said when she was a safe distance away. "You _are_ late."

"No, I'm not," his rich voice echoed. "I texted you. If I had called, the girls wouldn't shut up until I hung up myself."

Stella laughed at a twinge of grumpiness from him.

"Happy birthday, sunshine," he wished her with a gentle voice, making her heart soar.

"Thank you," she cooed in pleasure. "But...I really wish you were here with me," she said sadly.

"Sorry, I can't," he sighed. "I have an important meeting to attend to and I can't miss it."

"Okay. Then...then I'll drive up to see you," she stated.

"It'll be in vain," he exhaled a long sigh. "I wanted to tell you that I won't be free till seven or eight tonight."

"WHAT?!" Stella nearly screeched. "You're telling me this now?!" she snapped.

"You were never curious about my job. So I had no reason to tell you," he said as he rolled his eyes.

"You jerk! Why won't you let me come? I'll take a sneak peek and leave. Promiseeeee!" Stella pleaded.

"Sorry, princess. My gift for you is in the mail. It'll probably reach there by evening," Brandon informed.

"..."

"Stella?"

"This is me giving you a polite version of a middle finger," Stella snapped. "You're a complete jerk and a total asshole!"

"Whatever you say," he sighed. "I'll see you later. See ya. 'Night."

He hung up immediately, leaving Stella to stare at the phone wide-eyed. "Did he just hang up on me?" she scoffed.

She stared at her phone, expecting him to call her back at any second. To her dismay, he never did. "Why won't he let me see him?" she sighed sadly. He practically told her to buzz off since he'll be in a boring company meeting.

So...he doesn't want to see her. _"Fine!_ Then I don't need him!"Stella growled angrily while stomping back to her room. She slammed the door open and steamily walked inside with heat blowing off from her ears.

"I don't see that call going well," Tecna remarked wide-eyed.

"We're _soooooooo_ over!" Stella fumed while sitting cross-legged on her bed.

Tecna and Bloom looked at each other and then back at Stella.

"You have two seconds to start explaining," Bloom glared.

"I asked this sorry excuse of a boyfriend or whatever," Stella started by waving her phone in front of him before continuing, "To come over here! And he said that he can't because he had work. I was being super understanding and told him that I'd drive upstate, but he practically told me to get lost."

"He told me that he had no time to see me today," Stella said sadly.

Bloom facepalmed. She was close to Brandon, Nabu, and Helia out of the five remaining guys. And Stella is literally her best friend and truthfully, she wasn't going to stand to see such injustice being done to her friend.

Tecna remained silent and chose not to say anything.

After a long moment of pause, Stella spoke again. "You know what? It's fine, I guess. He's probably just really busy," she said. She just made a fuss because it was her birthday. She didn't celebrate last year because their breakup had still been fresh. And this year...

Bloom and Tecna didn't have to say it. They knew that a minute with Brandon is all Stella wanted.

"Good night, girls," the blonde dejectedly said before heading back to bed.

"Think we should do something?" Bloom whispered low enough for only Tecna to hear.

Tecna shook her head. "We don't have to. Brandon's probably up to something."

"Excuse me?"

"He's not the type of man to disappoint anyone, especially his girlfriend or...,err, wife on her birthday."

"Maybe, but..."

"I'm heading to sleep," Tecna yawned before rolling into the covers.

"Hope you're right," Bloom admitted with a frown before switching off the lights.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 10:00 AM ~**

Stella sighed for the umpteenth time today. She probably called Brandon ten thousand times already. To her dismay, he never picked up nor called her back. He didn't even send a pitiful text saying that he'll call later.

"What the hell are you doing, Brandon?" she whispered to no one in particular while walking through the quad alone. She still had thirty minutes till her next class and thought that she can get some Brandon time!

"Maybe I _am_ desperate," Stella mumbled to herself while her fingers tapped the dial button again. She sighed deeply as her phone kept dialing endlessly. After a few rings, she cut it herself before releasing a stream of 'I miss him sooooo much' sighs. Is this what lovesickness is? "I don't remember being this lovesick," Stella defended her conscious.

"I'm gonna look like a loon at this rate," she mumbled to her as she walked in some random direction.

She had been receiving video calls from her friends and tons of wishes from her classmates as well. How so many people knew about her birthday was beyond her. She told only a few but it was still heartwarming to listen to everyone shower love on her.

"I want to see him," Stella sighed again as her shoulders slumped.

* * *

 **~ Jay's House, NJ - 6:30 PM ~**

Stella impatiently knocked on the door and rang the doorbell incessantly. "Open up, you idot!"

After what felt like a million years, the door opened. Stella screamed in delight when she saw Jay and instantly flung herself into his arms. "Jay!" she excitedly screeched.

"One would think I'm your boyfriend instead of your brother," he chuckled while kicking the door shut after letting her in. She slapped his shoulder. "Don't you dare," she warned playfully.

"I know I've said it already, but happy birthday, blondie," Jay smiled at her before slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Anything special today?"

Stella huffed and shook her head no. "Nope. Just like any other day, I guess," she told him. "The sad, sad, sad thing is that I had five lectures to sit through," Stella yawned sleepily.

Jay chuckled. "Well, no offense, but I want you out of my house in an hour."

"Excuse me?" Stella asked in bewilderment.

"I have to see a _very_ important person and I need you to bolt," he smirked.

"I can't believe you don't trust me enough to let me stay here alone," Stella dramatically clutched her heart, acting downright offended. "Oh my poor soul," she fanned herself.

Jay chuckled. "Yeah, well. Not today, I sure as hell don't."

"And pray tell, who is this important person?" She suddenly gasped. "You have a boyfriend, don't you!? You sneaky little devil! How could you not tell me? I visit you like every other day!"

Jay pinched her full cheeks at her adorableness. "No need to be jelly, Stella bear. You will always be a close second. Right after your hunk, of course," he smirked.

Stella burst out laughing at Jay's neverending daydreaming about Brandon. "Playfulness aside, do you really like Brandon?" she asked curiously. "And I can't believe I'm asking this," she blinked.

Jay laughed. "What answer would you like?"

"Actually...I think I'm okay with either one," Stella scratched her chin in thought.

Jay remained silent for a few moments. "I did. Once. But now, he's family to me, you know? He's like my brother," he answered meaningfully.

"Really?"

Jay nodded. "We've been friends since kindergarten, I guess," he said, making her eyes widen.

"Wow...that's over twenty years..." Stella thought in awe. Coming to think of it, the girls, especially Musa and Layla were no different. She's known them for nearly two decades.

"I knew that something was wrong with me. I was different than the other kids in my class. I was a total nerd too. I met Brandon back then," Jay said with a shrug. Remembering a memory, Jay chuckled. "He was the cutest kid back then too."

"Wish I could see a mini Brandon. Oh and there's nothing wrong with you, Jay. If you weren't gay, I swear you'd be my close second," Stella cheekily winked while making a mental note to ask Flora for their childhood pictures.

"Right back at ya, Stella bear," Jay grinned while hugging her.

Stella gladly hugged him back. Staying with Jay made her feel safe and cozy. He kept an arm around her while occasionally ruffling her blonde hair.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yup," she answered with a small nod, but couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips. Jay tossed her a look that made her let out another sad sigh. "Brandon hasn't answered any of my calls since morning."

"He's probably busy. You know how he is," Jay explained. "It's not the first time he's bailed on you because of work or whatever."

"I guess you're right. It's not because it's my birthday or anything, but it'd still be nice if he at least called once."

"What else did you do today?"

"The girls took me out for a couple of hours," Stella told him, thankful for a change of subject.

"Hmm," he nodded as he listened. He picked up his phone and looked at the time. "Could you run an errand for me?"

"Um...sure. What's in it for me?"

Jay smirked. "Your birthday present from me."

"You already gave me one, you dork," Stella rolled her eyes.

"Trust me. You'll love this one!" Jay winked while pulling her up to stand. He pushed her towards the door. _You'll really love it,_ he smirked to himself.

"Woah, woah, woah! Slow it, chimp!" Stella pushed him away as he nearly threw her out the door. "Where am I going?"

"I need you to go to this address and pick up a mail for me. I'll call that you're coming," Jay answered while shoving a little piece of paper into her hand.

Stella looked at the scribbled handwriting with a raised eyebrow. "Are you into drugs?" she asked.

"Why would I need drugs when I have you?" he grinned and finger snapped at her.

Stella sighed at his antics. "Fine. Whatever," she said while showing herself out. "I'm serious about the drugs!" she hollered on the way out while heading to her car.

Stella sat inside and plugged in the address into her GPS before pulling out of the driveway. She checked her watch. It's nearly seven. She drove with a lot on her mind. Actually, there's really nothing on her mind except her current favorite person in the world.

"I wonder if he's going to remember his own birthday," Stella muttered sourly to herself. Most likely not, from her experience. He'll be twenty five this year. And she's just turned twenty three. They were both nearly two years apart. It wasn't much of an age difference considering they're both legal adults.

Stella personally thought that it was hot. She blushed to herself when she remembered his handsome face. He didn't change much but his appearance was a little more masculine than last year. He lost some of his boyish charm and developed manly features. His strong jaw structured well and framed his face well. His eyes, always acute and observant, have gotten darker and simply drool-worthy.

 _And don't even get me started on those lips,_ Stella daydreamed happily. She could never resist wanting to run her fingers through his chestnut brown, thick locks. "Oh good heavens," Stella let out a blissful sigh while feeling her heartrate speed up.

The GPS suddenly pinged and alerted her to take the final right turn before arriving to the destination. Stella's eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked around her surroundings. It was all...foresty.

"Where the hell am I?" she mused while glancing left and right. "This is what happens when you don't pay attention while driving," she chided herself. There's a small building ahead that looked like a woody and old-fashioned cottage. Parking the car in the closest available parking space to the building, she stepped out in confusion.

"Am I lost...?" Stella wondered while looking at the address on the little piece of paper. She looked at the building and the number on the door matched with the house number on the paper. "Okay..."

With curiosity, Stella clutched took her phone and keys before moving towards the building. She climbed the stairs and opened the door. To her relief, the inside looked like an administrative building. Well, at least Jay didn't send her off to a random location.

She approached the front desk. A young woman in her early thirties looked up from the computer with a smile on her face. "Good evening, ma'am. How can I help you?" she asked.

"Hey, I'm wondering where people usually get their mail. My friend sent me here to pick up his mail for him," Stella stammered cluelessly. _This is what I get for forgetting to ask details!_

"Your name?" the lady asked.

"Stella. Stella Shields," Stella introduced herself while pulling out her ID.

"Ohh!" the lady suddenly looked up from her computer with wide eyes. "Please follow me. Your friend has indeed called us," she smiled.

"Okay," Stella shrugged. She followed the lady outside. "Just go straight up this road and take the second right."

"Um, not to be rude, but where am I? I wasn't really paying attention when I drove here," Stella grinned sheepishly.

The lady laughed. "No worries. It's a camping resort."

"A r-resort?" Stella's eyes widened.

"Yes, of course. Your friend did say that you'd be coming and we've received instructions to guide you the way."

"Oh. Um, okay. Thank you," Stella confusedly bid her a bye before getting in the car. "Why in the world does he need mail from a resort?! Ugh. Whatever."

Stella pulled out of the lot before following the lady's instructions. Along the way, the blonde saw a few cottages as well as tourists roaming around in luggage. "Ohhh...cool."

She took a right turn. She slowly went up ahead according to the speed limit. Her smile slowly dropped and turned into sheer confusion when she literally saw nothing around her even after going inside for a whole mile or two. "Um...maybe I took the wrong turn," she spoke with the air.

"Ugh. I've had it with these dumb instructions," Stella cursed before parking to the side. She stepped out and scratched her head in confusion. There were only cottages of varied sizes in the distance and nothing more. She took out her cell phone. She randomly yawned a little while pulling Jay's contact.

Just then, her eyes peeled wide open when her phone buzzed with an all too familiar number. A gorgeous smile spread across her face when she saw Brandon calling her. "Hello?!" she answered with a little too much excitement and loudly.

"Hey," a deep voice spoke, sending shivers down her frozen body. It was pretty cold outside, considering it's still January. But Stella didn't care.

"Where have you been all day?!" Stella huffed. "I've called you a gazillion times!"

"Yeah, my phone told me," he chuckled. "So...what's up?"

"What's up? _What's up?!_ I can't believe you have the gall to ask me that!"

"What did I say?" he asked innocently, but Stella could practically sense the devilishly arrogant smirk on his face.

"Well, to answer your stupid question, you told me to piss off. That's exactly what I'm doing," Stella answered with a glare on her face.

He let out a small laugh. "You know I didn't say that."

"You might as well have. Well, you can go back to your _boring_ meeting while I have the time of my life," Stella said rudely.

"You sure about that?" Brandon asked.

"Of course I am! Shoo!"

"Are you really, really sure about that?" he asked again with a small smirk on his face.

"Yesssss! Why are you asking as if my decision matters?! Go away and leave me alone!" Stella screamed into the phone.

A few moments of silence ensued, but the call wasn't cut.

"Well...I thought I'd come here to surprise my girlfriend...but since she doesn't want me here..." Brandon trailed off with a growing smirk while silently counting to three.

Stella gasped in shock. She looked at the phone in amazement. His voice was way too close and near to be speaking over the phone. She turned around and sucked in a breath at seeing him right before her. He was standing a few meters away beside his car which she somehow didn't hear. He was in a suit, but Stella couldn't see any of that.

Her hands instantly covered her mouth in shock as she blinked a few times in disbelief. She rubbed her eyes twice and blinked again. Slowly, she pinched herself and winced.

"Really?!" he crossed his arms in annoyance, clearly not appreciating the fact that she thought it was her figment of imagination. "You're acting as if I never came down to see you before," he scowled.

Listening to him speak, Stella stepped back into reality. "Brandon!" she squealed while running up to him. He grinned and opened his arms wide. Stella ran faster and catapulted herself straight into his waiting arms. Laughing himself, he listened to her laugh happily as he twirled her around before gently setting her down on her feet.

"I can't believe it! You're here! You're really here!" the blonde hugged him tightly.

"I'd have to be the worst guy in the whole world if I wasn't here to celebrate my girl's birthday," he chuckled.

She blushed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she jumped up and down in his arms in her newfound state of hysteric exultation.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," he spoke tenderly while gently cupping her face.

"Thank you," she smiled. She pulled slightly away and looked at his state of attire. "You're in your formals...why is that?" she asked. She didn't dare ogle at him in this state. He was just soooo good-looking either way and she couldn't help but wonder how handsome he was. Okay, she knew that looks aren't everything, but damn. He had them all.

His white crisp dress shirt was plastered over his broad shoulders with cuffs rolled till his elbows. He wore a metallic watch as the only accessory.

"I drove here straight from work," he explained with a groan. "Please don't remind me of that hell hole," he spoke while leaning against the car, with his hands in his pockets.

"What went wrong?" she asked with a laugh.

"I was very clear in telling you to not remind me about that place," he shot her a small glare along with a roll of her eyes.

"Were you really busy since morning?" she asked.

"No, just this afternoon," he smirked, expecting a fiery question in about three seconds.

She gasped. So he _wasn't_ busy?! She grabbed his collar with both of her hands. "So you purposefully ignored my calls?!" she yelled angrily.

Smirking, he coolly replied. "Of course I did. That way, you can miss me even more," he winked.

She scoffed and let go of his collar sharply. "I wasn't missing you, thank you."

"Really? The 78 missed calls and 139 texts beg to differ," he smirked.

She gasped. "I...I sent that many?" she asked while looking up at him with a small blush on her face.

"It's quite encouraging, you know," Brandon chuckled at her embarrassment and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance.

"...wait a second. So this was your lame idea?! Sending me to a camping area to pick up...mail?!" Stella asked.

Brandon raised his hands in surrender. "No, that was all him. I didn't have any excuse to get you here, so he blabbed something."

"You two need to work on your definition of a good excuse," Stella smirked while shaking her head.

She gasped when Brandon suddenly seized her by her waist, crushing her to his chest. "Enough about him. I want to talk about us," he smirked.

Hearing that, Stella blushed a hundred shades of pink. "W-What a-a-about us?" she stuttered while blushing like a maniac.

"What you said the other day...I want to hear it _now,"_ he smirked while tracing his cheek with the back of his knuckles. She blushed while looking away. "I said a lot of things," she flushed at his intense gaze although she had a clear picture of what he was talking about.

"You know what I'm referring to," he whispered hotly against the shell of her ear. His cool breath fanned over her face, sending a violent shiver down her spine. She closed her eyes and bit back a moan as he tilted her head back just enough to bury himself into her collarbone. "I'm waiting, sunshine," he spoke against her neck, enjoying the way she whimpered at his touch.

"I l-love you, Brandon," she said so softly in an angelic voice that it simply took his breath away. He lifted his head and held her by the base of her neck, with his thumb grazing over her cheek smoothly. He brought his forehead down to hers and held her tightly as he spoke against her lips. "Again," he whispered.

Turning heavily red in the face, she couldn't find herself to look away from his piercing gaze. His eyes were nearly jet black as he enslaved her honey-colored orbs with his own. "I love ymmmph-!" she started but was cut off by his lips.

A inextinguishable fire ignited itself in her innermost secretive places. She moaned against his demanding lips as the heat sizzled through her every vein and nerve, slowly surfacing through her skin. He enjoyed her urgent whimpers and took advantage of her parted coral-colored lips, igniting his inferno of boyhood fantasies. He cruelly pulled back before she grew accustomed to the taste of him.

Trembling against him, she opened her eyes dumbly and was instantly smitten by his coal brown depths. "I'll always love you more," he whispered, his forehead never leaving hers. She gasped for air as he slowly freed her from his clutches.

"Take your car and follow me," he whispered. "Will you?" he asked, smirking at her dazed state.

She nodded dumbly and unwillingly let go of her grip on him. She walked back slowly, still shocked that she was just kissed like that. Stella's lips burst into a smile as she resembled no one less than a blushing bride.

She honestly couldn't wait to graduate out of Princeton.

 **...**

* * *

 **~ 7:40 PM ~**

"Are we there yet?" Stella asked impatiently while walking in slow footsteps.

"The answer hasn't changed since the last two seconds," Brandon chuckled while tapping her temple sharply.

She winced and rubbed the sore spot. "Ow. Well, excuse me. You're not the one walking in a blindfold," the blonde hissed while elbowing him.

"You should learn to trust me more, sunshine," he teased while he led her to a clearing by gently holding her waist.

"Pleaseeeee! Can I take it off now?!" Stella whined.

"It's nothing special though," Brandon told her.

"Anything I do with you is special to me," she told him with a smile.

"Take it off," he whispered before standing behind her.

"Finally!" she sighed in exasperation, earning a chuckle from him. She untied the opaque fabric and let it fall on her shoulders as she slowly took in what's before her.

"Musa told me that you never camped before," he said.

Stella's face was faintly illuminated by a small campfire a few meters ahead. The fire was surrounded by a few makeshift seats consisting of large, flat stones and cut logs. To the side, there was a large, blue square tent with a faint bluish glow emitting from within. On the other side, there was a closed barbeque grill, waiting patiently to be used.

"You did all this...?" she asked in awe while turning towards him.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner," he sighed. "Otherwise, it definitely would've been much better." He looked at her guiltily. He let out a low grunt when she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Don't be silly. I'm just happy you're here," she said while smiling into his shirt. She meant every word. Having him here was literally the sweetest surprise she could ever receive. He was all she really needed. She would gladly exchange all the presents she ever received throughout all her years for some quality time with him.

He reciprocated instantly and she had to coo at how warm he was. And that's when she realized how her face had gone totally numb. She buried her head deeper into his jacket to warm herself up.

"C'mon," he coaxed her while rubbing his hands up and down her shivering shoulders. "You're freezing."

She followed him as her teeth chattered to the cold. He took her and made her sit on the logs before adding a few broken twigs into the flames. Stella felt a little sleepy but slapped herself awake. Who in the world knows when he'll leave again?!

She sat up straight when Brandon joined beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Do you want to head inside?" he asked.

"It's so cold..." she whispered weakly while leaning her head against his shoulder.

Brandon stood up. He took her hand and pulled her up, leaving her to curiously look at him. He pushed her towards the tent and opened the zipper. Pulling the flap aside, he dragged her inside before closing it. Stella's eyes widened when she saw that the inside space seemed bigger than it really looked. There was enough space for them to walk freely but they have to bend slightly in order to be compatible with the tent's height.

She looked down to see a makeshift bed. There was a mattress and two thick comforters laying on top of it. "Are we going to sleep there?" she pointed.

"Take off your jacket," he ordered while removing his own and placing it neatly on the tinted blue flooring. "What? No!" Stella clutched the fabric tighter and stubbornly refused.

"Either you take it off or I'll do it myself," he smirked.

"Why?! I'm cold!"

Sighing, he grabbed her before reaching to her jacket's zipper swiftly, earning a surprised squeal from her. Letting him remove, she just stood there and observed him silently.

She randomly noted the hair that shaggily covered his eyes with just the right amount and length. Reaching over, she couldn't help but rake her fingers through his strands. He looked up questioningly as she played with his hairstyle. Stopping her movements, he removed the jacket off of her before ushering her to get inside the little bed which was big enough to accommodate them both.

"You'll suffocate with all those extra clothes," he said while joining and laying down beside her. Pulling up the blankets, he covered them both while listening to the fire cackle outside. Stella blushed at their proximity, just like she always. Scooting closer to him, she laid her head on top of his chest while he mutely wrapped an arm around her.

He took off his black, satin tie with his other free hand and tossed it towards the little heap of their jackets. "Will you leave again tonight?" she asked him sadly.

He looked down at her and shook his head. "No."

"Really?" she asked as her eyes lit up.

"Really," he smiled.

Her heart started to rest as she slowly relaxed against him. She slowly started to play with the buttons of his shirt as she traced the muscular planes hidden deceptively underneath his shirt with her fingers. Stella looked up at him and to her surprise, his eyes were closed. Her lips parted into a small 'oh' as she watched him sleep.

"Brand?" she whispered.

"Hmm?" he hummed in a low voice and for the first time since he got here, Stella noted how tired he seemed. He told her that he drove here straight from work. He must be exhausted from working all day, yet...there was not a trace of complaint or discomfort on his face.

"...Nothing," she whispered as she continued to glance at him. He came all the way here... _just for her..._

He made a genuine effort to make up for the lack of his presence all day. Just for her. Her eyes dwelled in happiness as she continued to look at him. Leaning over, she brushed her lips over his before taking them into a soft, loving kiss. He stayed still for a few moments before Stella felt him kiss her back. "What was that for?" he asked after a few moments. His eyes fluttered open and he saw her staring at him like a lost treasure. "Does it matter?" she asked. "No, it doesn't," he truthfully admitted.

She rested against him again. "I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" he asked in confusion.

"For making you come all the way here. I should've come myself," she started to brew tears in her eyes. All of a sudden, a small, choked sob left her lips. Brandon's eyes snapped fully awake as he slowly lifted himself.

"Stella, look at me," he grasped her chin firmly. Her baby brown eyes looked at him earnestly.

"First things first, I won't allow you to drive to New York," he warned. "And second, you didn't make me come here. I came because I wanted to see you."

"I wanted to see you too! I should've come. And now...you're tired and exhausted because of me," she cried.

"No, I'm not," he said.

"Yes, you are! I'm just a burden to you!" she hiccuped.

"Stella, stop," he raised his voice with a warning laced into his tone. "You're not an outsider or a stranger. You're the girl I love and nothing I do for you can be a burden to me."

He continued a little angrily. "I don't want us to have this discussion again. Do you understand?"

She nodded. His eyes softening, he tenderly wiped away the insecure tears resting on her face. "Rest for an hour and we'll have something to eat. Okay?" he asked while turning his body sideways to face her. She nodded and slipped into his arms. She allowed herself to listen to his steady heartbeat. It was a successive repetition of soft thumps that lulled her to a light slumber. Her grip on him slowly grew loose as she dozed off like he said.

* * *

 _ **A little more than an hour later...**_

 **~ 9:00 PM ~**

An abrupt, yet a soft pitter-patter against the exterior dome of the tent jolted Stella awake. She blinked her eyes open and rubbed her eyelids slowly to snap herself awake. She lifted her head slowly, feeling quite refreshed at the oddly timed nap. She saw Brandon fast asleep and couldn't help but smile. It was rare times like these that she got to watch him sleep his worries away.

She narrowed her eyes in confusion when she saw the tent slightly swaying. She slowly removed his arms from her before lifting herself up. She pulled the covers till his chin before putting on her jacket and moving towards the tent's zipper. She opened the tent and pulled the flap aside before stepping out.

Stella gasped when she felt the light drizzle that disturbed her from her peaceful slumber. She looked up at the sky and frowned when she saw dark clouds forming. The typical cocktail blue shade was beginning to fade. Grey clouds hovered above them and conjoined into darker pillows of cloud.

It looked like a storm was rolling in. Gasping at the realization, Stella ran into the tent again. "Brandon!" she pounced on top of him. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" she squealed as she shook him awake. Brandon instantly opened his eyes in panic when he heard Stella screaming. To his confusion and relief, she was perched on top of him. "What the hell?" he mumbled while rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"It's raining! Wake up!" she said while shaking him harder.

"What?" he asked as he listened.

The familiar scent of wet grass and mud filled his nostrils. He sighed. " _This_ was what your screaming was about?" he asked while falling back. She sat on his chest and pulled at his collar. "No, it looks like a storm is coming in!"

He sighed. "Stella, stop being silly," he yawned.

"No! Brandon Shields, _I refuse,_ I repeat, _I absolutely refuse_ to sleep in this tent while shivering to death! SO WAKE UP!"

Brandon opened his eyes in annoyance. "Ugh," he groaned while pushing off of him, letting her body plop to the side. He sat up and tossed the covers to the side before standing up. He rolled his sleeves before peeking outside. He frowned at the weather.

"I didn't think it'd really rain," he said.

Stella tried to jump here and there on him to get a view of the outside. Giving up, she crawled from underneath before standing up beside him. "You knew it would rain?" she groaned.

"I checked the weather and it said that chance of rain is only eighty percent," he explained.

She facepalmed. "Eighty literally means a hundred, you idiot. How did you end up with a doctorate again?"

"I didn't think it would actually happen! The weather seemed fine in the evening," he defended himself.

Stella held her hands out and to her dismay, the droplets hit her hand faster than a drizzle. A huffing wind started to howl, stirring the flaps of the tent. They both watched as the blazing fire nearby quickly go out into a pile of smoke as the sound of droplets only got faster. The near vicinity instantly went dark as the light emitting from the flames went out. Stella clutched Brandon's arm as she suddenly felt a gust of cold air whish past her face.

"We need to leave. The tent won't hold all night," he told her as she nodded in agreement.

The soft, humming droplets ceased as the sounds intensified. The tent was struck with rainwater falling with such force that their temporary shelter started to sway in the wind unprotectively.

Brandon pulled her inside before grabbing his jacket and stoving any important possessions inside. The car was a long way away and it'll take a solid five minutes of running to get there. It was plenty of time to get soaked. _Perfect,_ he thought sarcastically.

He winced slightly as the tent started to howl in pain as walls of water drummed violently against the fabrics. "Come on," he grabbed her hand.

"Where?" she asked worriedly while following him.

"The trees are the worst place to be under in a storm like this," he told her. "We're going to the cabin. It's only two minutes from here."

"There's a cabin here?!" she asked in wonder while looking around.

Brandon chuckled. "You didn't really think I'd leave us sleeping in a tent with eighty percent chance of rain now, didn't you?" he said while pulling her hood over her head and pulling the zipper all the way up firmly. He removed his jacket and made her wear it.

"Brandon, it's too cold. Take it back," she said while trying to stop him.

"I'll be fine."

"Come on," he took her hand in his larger one and dashed outside. A violent shiver travelled down her spine as Stella entered into the pouring rain. She winced as the cold and harsh rain bit her skin. They both ran through the dense area. She could barely feel her palms and her fingers were good as gone. Her jackets did almost nothing to help her as they both got drenched pretty quickly. Her hair stuck messily across her face and soon, water seeped into her clothes on the inside.

Her teeth chattered. Her lips turned cold and were probably pale and bluish purple from the frigid cold. She turned her eyes towards Brandon. From what she could see, his white shirt turned completely transparent and see-through, giving her a delicious view of his muscles as they flexed with his every movement. She swooned shamelessly but fortunately for her, her inappropriate sounds were lost in the rain.

She blushed heavily and turned her eyes away from the tempting sight before he catches her ogling in such a situation. "How much further?!" Stella yelled over the downpour. She was almost freezing to death and the cabin was nowhere in sight.

He didn't reply. Instead, he simply held onto her hand tightly and ran. To her relief, the trees started to part and grew less dense and thick, indicating that a clearing is not that much far ahead. Thoroughly drenched and freezing, Stella didn't feel like asking anymore questions.

To her relief, a wooden-polished cottage appeared in view within a few seconds. They raced through the neatly trimmed grass and up the stairs towards the front door. Brandon let Stella's hand go as he pulled out the keys and swiftly unlocked the door. They both went inside without further delay. Stella came in after him and slammed the door shut.

It took a few moments to catch their breaths. Water pooled messily around their feet. The house was cold as well. Brandon sighed in relief and frowned at the plastered clothes, resembling no less than a second skin. Other than that, it didn't take him long to adjust his heart rate and calm down. He closed his eyes and breathed a few times.

He turned his side and took a good look at Stella. She was leaning against the door and looked just about ready to pass out. She was sickly pale and her lips were almost purple. "Stel!" He raced over to her immediately as she closed her eyes, ready to faint.

"You're okay. Come on. You need to warm up," he said while dragging her towards the bathroom down the hallway. Stella hugged herself tightly as a wave of fatigue washed over her. She wasn't used to this much cold at all. She preferred the heat and summer rather than a day in freezing temperatures.

Her teeth chattering, she numbly followed Brandon as he led her inside the shower. He turned on the shower and set it to a tolerable hot temperature. Stella breathed as the hot water sizzled against her frozen skin. They both stood there under the falling waters. Stella breathed calmly as she felt blood returning to her cheeks again. But it wasn't enough. Her clothes disgustingly stuck to her like a second skin. She hurriedly removed the jackets she wore and tossed them over the curtain. She heard a squishy plop but didn't bother to care.

Brandon, too, started to unbutton his dress shirt. It's clear that the shirt is probably ruined by now. He frowned at a little tear on his shoulder. Yup, it's official now. _Stupid branches,_ he rolled his eyes while pulling it off of him. Stella inaudibly gasped as she watched him undress not less than a foot away from her. She grew red in the face as he totally stood there oblivious. He pulled his tank over his head before throwing it on the pile. Stella watched in fascination as the water slapped against his bare, broad shoulders. His sun-kissed, tanned skin shimmered ethereally under the steaming water droplets as he ruffled his hair with closed eyes.

Brandon slowly opened his eyes and to his amusement, he found Stella staring at him. Her eyes instantly widened and she looked away immediately, blushing at having been caught red-handed. His eyes visibly darkened at her appearance. She hugged herself, but he could still clearly make out what's underneath under the barely translucent clothing. Of the days she could've chosen to wear white...she chooses _today._ Her blouse was nearly transparent, save for the grey sports bra underneath which showed her perfectly rounded and firm chest. Her midriff was completely exposed, much to his delight and chagrin at the same time. Her dark jeans exposed her long-legged figure and he sighed at his own plight. _God help me...and her,_ he thought. His eyes traveled slowly back up to her face. Her cheeks were a bright red and he noticed how she was still blushing from earlier.

He smirked and took a step towards her. "Like what you see?" he asked huskily.

Stella blushed and didn't reply. _This is so embarrassing!_ she flushed. She gasped when his arm snaked around her waist. Looking up at him, she was drawn to his coal brown orbs. "Do you know something that I've always wanted to do?" he whispered while clasping her cheek. His eyes darted to the beaded dew drops that rested on her lips before glancing into her curious eyes. He leaned closer towards her face and Stella found herself closing her eyes automatically. He hoisted up slowly and she felt herself floating, almost flying, in bliss as their lips met in a soft kiss under the water.

Stella tentatively placed her palms on his bare chest and felt a jolt of electricity run up her spine at the contact. The shower, the room, the roaring thunder above, and everything else melted away as they kissed each other like their lives depended on it. His fingers itched to push past the barriers, but urged himself to stay in control. He loved the feel of her soft, supple body against his harder one as he gently caressed her waist. Stella's heart beat faster and faster as she surrendered herself to him completely. Maybe it was the thick atmosphere here tonight that pushed her towards him with an even greater magnetic pull. Or maybe it was just his shirtless figure. Or maybe both and a couple million reasons. She honestly didn't care. She loved the sensations he gave her as he pushed her up the shower wall and kissed her harder. Despite wanting to and almost feeling the compelling need to, Brandon pushed his restraint levels to the maximum.

An ear-splitting, screeching roar up in the sky startled them both and momentarily separated them from each other. Instead of resuming, Brandon simply hugged her against his bare-chested figure. "I love you, Stella," he murmured breathlessly. Stella smiled in happiness and lifted her head up. "I love you too," she spoke while her lips stretched into a dazzling grin. After processing her revelation for a few moments, he grinned like a complete, goofy fool as he laughed while picking her up bridal-style. She squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Watching him laugh in delight sent her heart soaring. His eyes shone with joy and he looked completely lovesick as he glanced at her with complete adoration.

Unable to help herself, she pressed her lips tightly against his cheek. Pulling back, she hugged him tightly and drowned in his arms. "Brandon...?"

"Hmm?" he asked while grinning.

"Um...I'm kind of hungry," Stella admitted sheepishly while rubbing her stomach.

He laughed while setting her down. "You can shower here," he said while stepping out of the tub.

"Wait!" she grabbed his arm.

He turned around questioningly.

"I...I don't have any extra clothes," she admitted while blushing.

"There's a towel on the rack over there," he smirked while crossing his arms.

She blushed a beet red at his implication. "I'm not prancing around in a towel in front of you," she said with reddened cheeks.

Chuckling, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Finish showering and come out. I'll have a fresh set on the bed," he explained.

"You brought clothes?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes while slowly moving out of the room. "Don't be stupid. Of course I did," he smirked on his way out of the bathroom.

Stella blushed softly as he shut the door closed. She bit her lip, debating whether or not to go up there and lock the freaking door. It didn't take her even a moment of hesitation to just dump the idea. There was really no need to do so. Smiling, she stripped herself off the remaining wet clothes and threw them in the pile.

"Ahhh..." she moaned in bliss as the water touched her bare skin without any restrictions. "That feels so good."

* * *

 _ **Thirty to forty minutes later...**_

 **~ 10:00 PM ~**

Stella shakily touched the knob with nervous fingers. Slowly turning it, she gently pushed the door open and poked her head outside. She smiled softly when she saw the bedroom door closed as well. Clutching the towel, she slowly stepped out and breathed blithely when she saw the room being hot enough for her liking. She slowly walked towards the bed as her waist-length damp hair moved limply about her. As he promised, he did lay a fresh set of clothes for her. Stella blushed as she picked up his shirt and sniffed it. It smelt like him. An intoxicating earthy scent infiltrated her nostrils as she put the shirt on. She slipped on the track pants as well and pulled on the strings tightly to make it stay. His clothes were too large on her but they sure as hell were comfy. Stella hugged herself as she felt his clothes hug her back. She felt a sense of protectiveness envelop her just the way it would feel whenever Brandon would hug her.

Stella tossed the towel, along with the remaining wet clothes, in the washing machine. Tucking her temporary daydreaming inside, she opened the door to the bedroom and stepped out. On their way inside, she hadn't noticed the house properly. She smiled at the wooden and earthy theme instead of posh modernity. The cottage was beautiful with creme-white walls and simple furniture. Stella cruised over to the living room and saw a fire being gently flaming up in the fireplace. She looked around for Brandon, knowing he'll probably finish his shower first.

Suddenly, a fresh aroma filled her nose as she turned her head towards the kitchen. With a bright smile, she excitedly skipped over to the kitchen when she saw a freshly showered, damp-haired brunette working. Grinning, she moved over to him and wrapped her slender arms around his torso, hugging him from behind. "Hi," she chirped while kissing his back.

"Hey, sunshine," he greeted her enthusiastically. He placed a palm over her hands for a moment before spinning her around to face him. "Hey, I'm sorry for all of this," he apologized.

"For what?" she asked in confusion.

"For ruining your birthday. I should've anticipated that it would be raining tonight. I shouldn't have let you sleep in the ten-"

She placed a finger on his lips, cutting him off. "I wouldn't trade it for anything. You being here is the best present I can ever get on my birthday," she said sincerely.

He smiled slightly before kissing her cheek and moving away. "Dinner's ready," he informed before moving towards the dining room with two dishes.

"You cooked?!" she asked incredulously while following him. "How?"

"Well, uh, there's a stove and a pot over there. You do the math," he smirked while being the smartass he is. Stella rolled her eyes.

Chuckling, he gave her the answer she wanted. "Tonight's not the only time you'll be with me. We have all day tomorrow too. I brought some food from the mart, just in case," he answered.

"You'll stay here tomorrow too?!" she squealed while sprinting towards him.

He smirked. "I mean...I'll leave if you want."

She gasped. "No! Stay, stay, stay!" she bubbled in pure joy. Her stomach growled suddenly, making her flush with embarrassment.

He laughed as she clung to him. "C'mon. Let fill you with some food."

Stella blushed as she skipped alongside him merrily. He smiled fondly at her childlike nature and wondered if this was her true character. She seemed so innocent that he couldn't help but wonder if _that_ is what pulled him to her. She literally lit up this entire room with merely smiling and whether he cared to realize it or not, it's truly because of him that she's finally _happy._

Smiling to himself, he sat down. Before he could say anything, Stella jumped into his lap. "You weigh a ton," he groaned mockingly. "What have you been eating these past few weeks, woman?!"

She scoffed, "Excuse you."

"Just kidding," he chuckled. "Don't you dare eat less," he warned seriously this time.

"I won't," she smiled while adoringly wrapping her arms around his neck.

He pulled her closer and brought her forehead down on his. "Happy birthday, beautiful," he wished her sincerely.

Her cheeks grew warm. "Thank you," she whispered while burying her head into the crook of his neck.

"Here, this is for you," he said while pulling out a thick box from underneath his chair. She gasped and looked at the present. "You didn't have to-"

"This one's different," he smiled.

Stella bit her lip and took it. She let out another gasp at how heavy it was. "What is it?" she wondered out loud. Her fingers moved towards the wrapping paper but he placed a palm over them.

"Open it when I'm gone," he told her seriously.

Her eyes widened. "Is it another letter?" she asked anxiously.

He smiled and caressed her cheek. "I would've asked you to open it while I'm here if that were the case. But no, there aren't any more," he told her. Stella sighed in relief.

"Why can't I open it now?" she asked impatiently with a little pout on her face.

"Just because," he said.

"Fine..." she sighed while dishearteningly pushing it away.

He chuckled at her face. "You want me to leave, so you can open it, don't you?"

Her body chimed with laughter. "You wish," she smirked. "Tough luck, but no. You're staying right here," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," he mock saluted.

"So...what's for dinner?" Stella asked, her attention all of a sudden shifting towards the dishes.

A light chuckle left his throat, making her turn towards him. "What happened?" she asked innocently.

He shook his head and kissed her cheek. "Only you, Stell. Only you," he whispered inaudibly while shifting her slightly on his lap, so they can both get comfortable.

* * *

 **~ The Same Night - 11:30 PM ~**

Brandon sat against the headboard of the bed with Stella laying her head on his lap. "You're such a freaking cheater," she whined sadly.

He laughed while looking down on her. "Prove it," he smirked.

They were both playing _Monopoly_ on Stella's phone. It was one of Stella's favorite games and she had initially forced him to play. The game wasn't 'manly' enough for him but after Stella's consistent pleading, he gave in. And Stella wished she hadn't because so far, she didn't have any luck so far in winning.

"How come you're so good at it if you've never played it?!" Stella snapped while giving the phone to him to throw the dice.

"I never said I didn't play it before," he smirked while leaning down to place a chaste kiss on her lips. Stella dropped the phone on her chest as the contact deepened. He broke off suddenly and handed Stella the phone.

Stella shook off her daze before glancing at the phone. She gasped when she saw herself in a mortgage situation. "THIS! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!" she screamed while he started to roar stupidly with laughter. "YOU!" she screeched while shooting up and straddling his lap. "What the hell did you do?!"

He winked. "I kissed you."

She blushed momentarily before slapping herself to reality. "That won't work," she cut him off firmly.

"Won't it?" he whispered while taking the phone from her and tossing it elsewhere.

"No. You're completely cheating!" she frowned. "This is so unfair," she snapped while poking his chest. "Stop cheating!"

"Make me," he smirked.

Chuckling at her pout, he shifted a little. She pushed him back and heard a low grunt escape his lips. "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded while wiggling a pointy finger at him.

"The restroom," he smirked. "Wanna join?"

"N-N-No!" she blushed a vibrant crimson as she scrambled off of him quickly and rolled over to the side. He laughed at how adorably endearing she was before standing up from the bed. Stella watched him with a small blush on her face as she watched him go to the restroom. She sat impatiently as she waited for him to come out. This was honestly the best birthday she could ever ask for.

A vibrating phone interrupted her lovesick grin as she turned towards the nightstand. Curiously, she crawled over to it only to see Brandon's phone ringing silently. "Brand, you have a-" Stella started to announce but stopped when she saw the caller ID being displayed as _Lisa._

 _Lisa? Who the heck is she?_ Stella frowned. She eyed the time and saw that it was quarter past eleven. Friend or not, the timing was way too intimate to be calling at this time of hour.

Frowning still, Stella picked up the phone and held it against her ear. A loud, feminine giggle erupted from the other end.

"Brandonnnnnnn! Oh my god! I'm soooo glad you picked it up!" Lisa squealed and shouted out of pure joy that Stella had to keep the phone away from her ear to recover from a possible deaf ear attack.

Keeping herself silent and mum, the young blonde listened.

"Oh my godddd! When you get your ass here, we're sooooo going for some drinks, darling!" Lisa laughed into the phone. "I love you! I love you sooo much!"

 _WHAT?!_ Stella's heart stopped. She felt the color draining her face as her fingers shook anxiously. Since when did Brandon _drink_?! As far as the blonde knew, Brandon most definitely did not drink or smoke. He attended parties, of course, but was careful enough to never taste a sip of alcohol. And...Stella's eyes started to water when she heard the confession by 'Lisa'.

 _"I love you! I love you sooo much!"_

She _refused._ She absolutely _refused_ to believe that Brandon could possibly be cheating on her with that... _TRAMP!_ Hot, liquid jealousy burned through her veins as Stella started to shake with rage at the mere idea.

"Brandon, you there-?"

"LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE TRAMP! I don't care who you are, but if you call him again, I _swear_ I'll kill you!" Stella screeched into the phone with anger. She momentarily stopped when she saw Brandon hurried run into the room with sheer confusion and concern in his eyes. _Why, that little double-crossing, cheating bastard!_

"Wait-" Lisa started but the line went quickly dead.

Stella cut the phone off instantly and tossed it somewhere on the bed. Brandon's eyes narrowed questioningly as he watched Stella stand up and cross her arms. The blonde tapped her foot impatiently but what rattled him the most was the ferocious look on her face. "YOU...!" she yelled. "YOU LYING BASTARD!" she screamed angrily.

His eyes widened as his lips parted in shock. _"Excuse me?"_

"You're a liar! You're a cheater! And you're a big-time, cheating fraud!" she yelled angrily as body shook violently from hurt. He fell speechless for a few moments as he stood there like a complete stone statue. He wondered what in the world happened when his eyes snapped towards the shiny black device resting innocently on the mattress.

Stella's eyes started to water. But she refused, she _absolutely refused_ to let him see her cry. She growled angrily as she started to stomp out of the room. Just as she passed by him, she gasped as a hand shot up to grasp her arm tightly. She winced in pain and turned around.

Brandon looked at her calmly for a deep moment before speaking. "What the _f*ck_ do you think you think you're doing?" he asked in a deathly calm voice that made her gasp and sent violent shivers running up and down her spine. She gasped momentarily because she never heard Brandon... _curse._ Not once. Her eyes dimmed because she couldn't even begin to register the possibility that...he might be screwing someone else behind her back.

 _"LET. ME. GO,"_ Stella seethed angrily while using her free arm to break loose from his tight grip.

He eyed the phone for a second although he didn't quite understand what happened. Obviously, someone made a call that was meant for _him_ and _she_ answered it. Stella suddenly yelped in surprise when Brandon hurled her across the room and threw her on the bed. He watched her bounce slightly as she clutched her disoriented head with a surprised moan. Walking backwards, he locked the bedroom door and bolted it shut before calmly walking towards the bed.

Stella slowly got up and scrambled off the bed from the opposite side. "What do you think you're doing?!" she yelled.

He breathed as he took his phone. "If I see you take _another_ step towards that door, you'll regret it," he warned her seriously as his eyes darkened angrily as well. Stella's feet rooted themselves into the floor temporarily. Even though she knew Brandon for a long time now, he can still be pretty scary.

Brandon narrowed his eyes as he locked her with his petrifying gaze. He clenched his jaw and coiled his hand into a slightly shaking fist before glancing down at his phone. His fingers swiped over to the call log. His eyes widened when he saw none other than _Lisa_ who called him last.

He recalled Stella's words. Words that he heard anyway.

 _"...YOU LITTLE TRAMP! I don't care who you are, but if you call him again, I swear I'll kill you!"_

He pursed his lips tightly as his eyes narrowed dangerously. _"You_ _did not just f*cking say that,"_ he hissed angrily as his eyes snapped back into hers. A cold shiver ran down Stella's spine when she saw the hateful look a certain someone was giving her. She didn't know how to explain or release the unquenchable rage she felt in the pits of her heart.

Finding her silent, he growled as he dialed his secretary back. _Please pick up,_ he closed his eyes as he prayed. He exhaled an immense sigh of relief when Lisa did pick up in the fifth ring.

Biting her lip tightly, Stella watched him sigh in relief. His anger temporarily dimmed as he voiced a gentle hello into the phone. He seemed to be listening quietly as Lisa spoke.

He had no idea how his actions literally tore Stella apart. His next word, additionally, jolted her to her core.

"Lisa...I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry on her behalf-" he started with strain in his voice.

Tears freely fell from her cheeks. She has had enough of this. She has heard enough. She didn't have to hear him plea for that girl to forgive him. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve someone who doesn't respect the minimum concepts of loyalty, faith, and trust.

Having heard enough, Stella's feet turned. She didn't deserve to be stood up like she was some sort of a criminal. She covered her mouth with her hand as she swiftly walked towards the door. Her vision grew blurry as tears clouded over her lashes. Choking on a helpless sob, she touched the knob to turn it but not before hearing thunderous footsteps behind her. Paying no heed, she shifted the knob only to stop when Brandon grabbed her wrist almost painfully.

"STOP!" Stella yelled. "Let me gommmph!"

She felt herself being slammed against the door. A hand clasped tightly around her mouth as she struggled to break loose.

"Lisa...can you give me a few minutes to call you back?" Brandon asked calmly, although his face was nowhere near calm. He stayed silent for a minute before speaking. "Thank you."

Stella squirmed and thrashed against his hold but to no avail. Brandon's eyes glowered as he tossed the phone in his pocket. He withdrew his hand from her mouth and listened to her scream again. "Are you insane?! What did you think you were doing?!" Stella yelled teary-eyed.

He remained silent. "Are you done? Can I speak now?" he asked calmly.

"No. You can go and be with that girl! Clearly, she needs a hell of a lot more comforting!" Stella yelled while tears fell rapidly down her cheeks. Unable to stand his presence, Stella turned around again to leave. She cried out when he turned her towards him again.

"You're not leaving here until I say so," he hissed as his eyes flashed red.

"No!" Stella screamed while attempting to push him. He caught her off-guard when he grasped her arms and slammed them to either side of her head. "No, let me go!" the blonde cried while attempting to push him away.

She choked helplessly on her own sobs. "Let me goooo!" she cried again, trying harder each time.

"ENOUGH!" Brandon suddenly yelled that made her go pale and scared immediately. His deep voice boomed off the walls and vibrated through her chest. Her eyes clouded with terror and fright as her body shook with fear. She stared at him as color drained from her face.

Finding her _finally_ silent, he stared at her with narrowed slits. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" he asked her seriously.

Stella's eyes grew blurry. She was unable to drown the lump that choked her and she was unable to voice her thoughts. She felt helpless and grief-stricken all over again. The blonde bit her lip, trying to repress the sob that threatened to fly free. Unable to resist, a choked sob left her quivering lips as she started to cry. Stella sobbed with a broken heart while looking at the floor.

Brandon's grip slowly loosened until he finally let go of her. She started to cry helplessly that it scared him. It scared him a lot. She cried into her hands, not knowing what to do. She felt like this was happening all over again. She felt alone and despair... _again._

"Stella," he called her name while grabbing her shoulders. But she didn't seem to be hearing anything.

" _STELLA,_ " he said again with an edge to his tone this time. _Nope._ Not effective.

"STELLA!" he yelled and she stopped her grieving fest. Muffled cries left her body but she didn't dare look at him. "Look at me," he commanded.

She didn't dare to. She didn't have the strength or the courage to do this anymore. She gasped when she felt him grasp her chin forcefully and turn her crest-fallen face towards him. "I said... _LOOK. AT. ME,"_ he snapped.

Shakily, she turned towards him although the tears didn't stop.

"Why are you crying?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

She sniffled. He had the gall to ask her that? HE REALLY JUST ASKED HER THAT?! "Because of what you did!"

Unfazed by her agitated outburst, he replied calmly again. "What is it that you think I did?"

"You're cheating on me!"

He grabbed her hair tightly, not painfully, and pulled her towards him. "Based on _what?!"_ he hissed.

"...that bimbo," Stella muttered bitterly, not even bothering to apologize.

"She's not a bimbo. Her name is Lisa," Brandon defended his friend. Stella's face crumbled to dust at his words.

"Fine," she whispered in agony.

"You're such a..." he started but trailed off in exasperation.

Stella's face grew hot with rampantly pouring tears. She pushed his hands away. "No, no, finish that sentence!" she yelled, making him turn towards her in curiosity. "I'm such a bitch, aren't I?! I'm such a mean and manipulating little bitch who does nothing but get in your way!" she rambled angrily while looking away from him in hurt.

She failed to notice at how his eyes softened at that. Facing away from him, she hugged herself as she cried into her hands.

Brandon shook his head and ignored how each of her cries drove multiple stakes through him. He was angry too. He was hurt too. She can't just accuse him of cheating based on a phone call. She can't do that. She accused him of not showing loyalty towards her. But, how is he supposed to bear it when she didn't show the slightest bit of trust towards him?

He was actually going to call her an idiot. Most definitely not a _bitch._

Stella gasped when his arms wounded gently, but firmly, around her. She wanted to push him away. She wanted for him to leave her the hell alone. But she was unable to do any of that. Finding her still, he took advantage of it and gently turned her towards him.

"Stella?" he tenderly spoke, hoping that his voice will get through to her.

"I'm not sorry that I answered your stupid phone!" she snapped.

"You have no reason to be," he said, making her turn towards him. More tears swarmed over her face as she saw how soft and loving his eyes were. The same eyes that she fell in love with.

"I wasn't mad that you answered my phone," he said.

"Then what!" she snapped.

"Don't you know me? I've never lied to you till date. I've never hid things from you," he stated. "Don't you know me? If I had a problem with you...Stella, I'd break it off with you. I don't have to lie my way to cheat on you with Lisa. I'm more than capable of breaking up with you."

"Well then, go right ahead! Who is stopping you?!" she stubbornly hissed.

Hurt laced across his eyes. "...Just the other day...you told me that you loved me more than anyone else in this world. I can see now that...it's a complete lie," he sadly whispered, earning a gasp from her. His arms dropped to his sides as he let her go.

"I wasn't lying to you!" she cried. "Don't you _dare_ insult me by saying that!"

He hollowly laughed. "Oh. So, I'm not allowed to insult but you're allowed to do just the same?"

"W-What?"

"I'm not cheating on you. I never have and I never will," he admitted. "But I can't prove it. Even if I can, clearly, you're not in a state to believe me."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why are you making me the villain around here? You're acting as if this is my fault."

"It is. It certainly is. You should've asked me directly before jumping straight to conclusions," he explained with hurt.

"..." Stella fell speechless. Her eyes shimmered brightly with waterworks. Her face turned sticky with the dried, salty tears. "So...it's my fault?" she whispered.

"I know what Lisa said. She had no idea that it would be you on the other side. Stella, Lisa is my secretary at work. She was talking about a deal that we all finalized just today," he explained with strain in his voice.

Her eyes widened. "W-What?" she whispered in shock. That girl most definitely did not talk like a freaking secretary.

"A deal with a client went extremely well. We won a contract. She freaked out about that. She admitted to loving me as a friend. Nothing more," he said while rubbing his forehead, not knowing why he was explaining all this to a deaf ear.

"She didn't speak like a freaking secretary. And she most definitely didn't call like that either," Stella defended herself. It's not her fault if that girl spoke like a long lost lover.

"That's because she's a friend as well. _Which_ you would've known if you had asked instead of threatening to kill her and trying to strangle me," he said.

Stella's eyes started to water again at his accusing tone. "...I'm not apologizing to her," she whispered. "If you want to break up, then...so be it," Stella whispered painfully before moving past him.

She winced when he gently grabbed her wrist again. "Are you deaf with everything I tell you?" he huffed in annoyance.

Stella started to cry out of shame. He gently lifted her face. "Look at me," he said softly. She obeyed him while slowly biting her lip.

Without another word, Stella sniffled a gasp when he lunged towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Her face was instantly buried into his warm and broad chest. His arms held her tightly against him. She cried into his arms as he slowly rocked her. "Shh, stop crying, sunshine," he gently murmured against her cheek. _Sunshine._ Stella closed her eyes at his favorite nickname for her. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she sobbed into his shirt. Her streaming tears wet his shirt but he didn't care.

"I know what she exactly said. I can understand how you could've misunderstood. But I promise you, Lisa is just a good friend. Nothing more, sweetheart," he gently voiced in her ear. Stella sniffled and nodded. She blushed a little when he called her a sweetheart. Ahh. Another cute nickname that she instantly fell in love with.

"Please don't break up with me," the blonde pleaded with a sob.

He pulled back from her and she whimpered at the sudden loss of contact. "I can never do that," he whispered.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry!" she repeated like a broken record and pleaded for him to forgive her.

"Shhh. It's fine. Just don't cry anymore and you're forgiven," he winked at her comfortingly. Stella bit her lip when he kissed her cheek. _How could he be so understanding?_ she wondered. She practically behaved like an uncontrollable, savage little beast and he was calm (scary calm, but still) throughout the whole ordeal. What if it had been her? What if _he_ had accused _her_ instead of the other way around? She probably would've felt like dying if he questioned her fidelity towards him.

"I'm...I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice laced with thick and incredible guilt.

"There is one thing you can do for me to forgive you," he said.

"Anything," she spoke with her lips in a determined line.

"Forgive yourself first," he whispered while gently running his fingers through her hair.

"I...I c-can't," she whispered while looking away, unable to face him anymore. She just insulted their love. She just insulted him. She just hurt him despite vowing to never do that.

"Then I can't forgive you either," he said with a twinge of playfulness in his voice to cheer her up. He saw how badly she seemed to beating herself over this. "Sunshine...mistakes happen. Would you forgive me if it was the other way around? If I had wrongfully accused you, would you have eventually forgiven me?" he asked.

Stella nodded slowly. "Of course I would have! Why won't I-?!"

"Then why won't I?" he asked.

She fell speechless for a brief moment. She didn't know what she did to deserve such an amazing man. Despite her constant mistakes, he somehow found a way and willed himself to comfort her _somehow._ Even if he wasn't at fault here...even if she's the biggest screw up here...he looked past all of it and didn't make her feel like a major screw up.

"Thank you," she sniffling while managing to smile through her tears.

"For future reference, you're too important to me, Stell. There's no damn way that I'm letting you go," he spoke. "Not even for Lisa," he smirked.

Laughing through her tears, Stella playfully hit his chest. She fell silent after a few moments as she continued to dreamily stare at him. She must look like a total mess right now but neither of them cared. He held her against him while eyeing his phone. "Did anyone else call?" he asked.

"No," Stella spoke as he nodded. She let her eyes run all over his handsome face slowly, memorizing and etching each detail into her memory. She wanted to remember this moment. She nearly ruined what they had, but for a magical reason, their relationship hadn't gone to dust.

Finding her still and barely moving, he nudged her. "Movie?" he asked her, silently telling her to forget about the last twenty minutes.

She slowly nodded as a small, sad sigh escaped her lips. Tears glazed over her eyes again. She called him a liar, cheater, and fraud. She accused him of cheating even though he admitted to loving her just a few minutes ago.

He sighed and put his phone away. His arm traveled up to cup a side of her face. "Let it go already," he spoke against her cheek. "It's no big deal."

"Yes, it is," she replied with a huge lump in her throat.

"...if it makes you feel better, I wouldn't have reacted any differently."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," she said.

"Stell...if a girl told me that she loved me over the phone at this time of night and you weren't bothered by it, I'd have some serious doubts about our relationship," he said. Stella couldn't help but laugh at his mock bitterness.

"That's my girl," he chuckled. "No offense, but I would've killed that bastard of your ex-boyfriend if he had called you at near midnight. Just saying"

Stella started to laugh into his chest and agreed with him. He probably would've done that. The blonde looked up at him and she was met with the same warm, brown eyes she fell in love with. "Go and wash your face, okay?" he told her gently before letting her free and ushering her to the bathroom.

After he let her go, Stella finally felt at peace. Now looking back at it, she felt absolutely silly and horrible. She turned the tap on and gently slapped the lukewarm water against her sticky, sweaty face. "Where's the soap?" she wondered out loud while curiously looking around. She smiled at seeing a fresh bar of soap perched on the shelf in the spacious shower stall. Stella slipped inside of the tub and reached for it. She washed her face slowly and calmly breathed to cool her irregularly pulsing nerves.

When she was done, she reached for a towel on the rack. She stretched a little too far and her foot gave away. Stella screamed in fright when she felt herself falling in the shower tub. Her back collided against the wall and she slipped to the floor. Getting a hold of her senses, she distinctively heard Brandon yell out her name. "Are you kidding me?" she mumbled to herself at her clumsiness to fall inside of a freaking shower. She frowned at the slightly wet clothes. She stood up but before accidentally setting off the shower tap.

Stella squealed and backed up against the wall. "Ahh!" she squeaked at the cold water enough to cause a pneumonia attack. "Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop!" she yelled in panic.

Brandon entered the bathroom in panic and saw the water wetting her. His eyes widened as he instantly raced over and slipped inside of the shower stall. "Stella, what the hell?!" he yelled before using his body to shield her against the cold water. His jaw slightly clenched as he turned the tap off.

"I'm sorry, o-okay?!" she shivered. He face-palmed at her clumsy antics. "I've never showered every two hours, you know that?!" he muttered in annoyance. She glanced at the clothes he gave her. They weren't completely wet, thank the heavens for that. She bit her lip as she felt a little under-dressed at the moment. She wasn't wearing any inner wear, considering she drenched herself earlier.

"You okay?" he asked while nearing her slowly. She nodded as he slowly pulled her into his arms while helping her out. They both went back into the bedroom.

"You can't use the restroom without causing yourself a catastrophe?!" he smirked while watching her stand a little stiffly. She was trying her best to not let the wet parts of the shirt touch her bare body underneath. "Accidents happen," she poked his chest.

Stella frowned when she heard the thunder loudly roar up in the sky. Lightning bolts flashed across the sky and occasionally illuminated the room with vibrant, fluorescent flashes. She hugged herself and moved towards the window. "Think the power's gonna go?" she asked softly. He moved behind her and looked up as well. "Maybe," he answered.

"What about the tent and the grill?" Stella asked as she turned to him.

"They're not ours," he told her while placing his hands into his pockets. He pulled the curtains just a little as he continued to gaze outside absentmindedly.

Stella, however, glanced deeply into his eyes. So beautiful, she thought. His eyes were a distinguishing brown with twinges of black and dark gold streaks surrounding the pupils. His lips were soft and were always contrasting cool against hers. She blinked and blushed a few times. She kissed those lips countless amount of times and there was no end to the number of times she fantasized about them shamelessly. Every time they kissed, he left her in a stupendous torpor. His high cheekbones and strong jawline were some of his other features that were worth dying for. She reached up and brushed the soft, dark brown strands that glazed over his eyes seductively, giving him the bad boy image that girls went gaga over.

Dark clouds ravaged the once clear skies as rain continued pelting against the windows faster and with much force. He silently wondered when this'll clear up.

He turned his attention from the weather to her and was momentarily taken aback by the intense gaze she was eyeing him with. His gaze soon mimicked hers and they were both locked in a match. Stella's face started to crumble and weaken as she found her body surrendering and giving in to him.

Unable to resist any further, she gave in. She washed away all of her insecurities and doubts before standing up on her tip-toes to close the gap between their lips. She didn't want to fight this anymore. She had been craving for him ever since she admitted to herself that she loved him. She didn't even realize how much he consumed her thoughts until he showed up earlier this evening. Brandon stiffened slightly in shock for a moment, mostly due to her being overwhelmingly passionate at the moment, before slowly closing his eyes as his arms traveled out of his pockets and wrapped themselves tightly around her body. Stella couldn't help but elicit a gasp when he kissed her harder and bit her lower lip softly. She opened her lips and gave him the permission as their tongues battled for dominance.

Stella grabbed onto his shoulders as they continued to kiss without taking even a momentary pant for air. She pressed her body tightly against his until there was no space between them anymore. She found herself slowly walking backwards. He paced forward to keep the distance between them minimal until they both eventually fell back on the soft mattress.

Stella let out a shuddering moan as his lips left hers and nuzzled deeply into her collarbone. "B-Bran..don..." she gasped breathlessly. He smiled against her skin, loving the way she spoke his name. His lips continued to touch, tease, and taste her as she shivered and continued to utter his name in short, panting gasps. She pulled him towards her tightly and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. His eyes slowly opened as he pulled back.

He stared at her and silently asked if she was sure that she wanted to do this. She glanced at him with thirst-filled eyes and let out a few labored breaths before finding her voice. "I want you..." she breathed hoarsely. His lips parted open with a fondness as he responded by crashing his lips against hers once more. Smiling against him, she continued to pry open his buttons when he suddenly stopped her movements again by placing a firm palm over her hands.

She opened her eyes once more, fearing rejection this time. He looked at her with an apology. "Sunshine, I can't. You...you have to be protected," he breathed while uttering a steam of curses under his breath which were highly inappropriate for human ears. Of all the times she chooses to give in, she had to choose a time where he couldn't get any protection! "I don't care," she snapped while pulling him towards her again. He smirked, "I enjoy a feisty girlfriend, believe me, but I care. I'm not getting you pregnant."

Stella's eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait! I have a packet in my purse!"

His eyes widened greatly in surprised as he growled at her revelation. _"WHAT THE F*CK?!"_ he cursed angrily. He was really not the type to curse, but...this was too much for him to handle without notice.

"Um..." she bit her lip nervously.

"Stella, you have two seconds to start explaining," he growled angrily while tightening his grip on her waist.

"Um...I...I brought them because Bloom dared me once," she uttered shyly. "...It was for us..." she looked away with a deep crimson-hued blush on her face.

He raised an amused eyebrow. "Dammit, sunshine," he laughed against her cheek.

"Brandon...please..." she tugged him closer and pleaded him.

"Isn't someone feeling a little impatient tonight?" he teased her further, frustrating her even more.

"Damn you, Shields!" she cursed.

He laughed before grabbing her purse from the nightstand and pulling out a packet before hovering over her again. The lights suddenly flickered and dimmed a bit, igniting their interrupted passion once again. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?" he whispered hotly into her ear.

"I would rather you just get on with it instead of telling me how long you've wanted it," Stella muttered stubbornly. A deep, rich laugh left his throat once again. He was interrupted by her lips. He seized her waist once more and tightly arched her body toward his. His fingers buried themselves into her side braid. He slowly undid her braid, turning it into messy strands on the way.

Stella quickly pried the buttons of his shirt open and impatiently tugged on it to toss it away. He glanced at her testy attempts and stopped his movements temporarily to take his shirt off. He chucked the fabric aside before finding her lips again. She moaned against his demanding mouth as she ran her hands up and down his strongly built chest. His fingers tugged the braid loose. Her hair tumbled into luscious, honey-colored curls.

"Stella..." he breathed while his fingers slipped inside of her shirt. Stella gasped as his hands traveled up slowly. She opened her eyes in a flash, feeling insecure and scared. "Brandon...wait," she panted. He immediately stopped and looked at her. "Did I hurt you?" he asked in concern while kissing her softly this time. She shook her head. "...I'm...I'm..." she blushed shyly. "I've never..." she bit her lip, feeling too timid to say the words. He smiled at her stammering. She'll never cease to amaze him and he can never get over how incredibly beautiful she was. "You're a virgin," he spoke against her forehead, enjoying the way she trembled against him. She blushed and nodded. "I'll be gentle, okay? Tell me to stop at any time," he told her sincerely while meaning every word.

She suddenly groaned in pleasure when he nibbled against her neck, marking her as his. A gasp left her when he pulled on her shirt with a firm tug, making the buttons pop open all at once. Stella moaned loudly when he caressed her breasts with his fingers and lips. Her nails dug into his back, scraping across his skin as she felt the unstable urge to release grow stronger. She tugged at his belt while his hands roamed and touched every inch of her, leaving nothing untouched or left kissed.

His invasive fingers tugged at the final fabric that separated them both. He undid the tie at her pants slowly before pulling it down her long legs and throwing it aside where it joined the rest of their clothes unceremoniously. He pulled back momentarily to take a good look at her as she lay there underneath naked. She blushed shyly as he watched her with darkened eyes. "I'll never get over how gorgeous you are, Stella," he breathed while kissing her shoulder. "Brandon...please..." she panted breathlessly as she arched her body towards his own and begged for release. She tugged at his pants. Noting her struggling attempts, he smirked and took it off himself before undoing his boxers as well. Stella's eyes widened as she gasped at how... _big_ he was. Biting her lip, she glanced at him nervously as he slipped on the condom. He turned towards her and smirked at her staring. Caught red-handed, Stella blushed profusely. "You're staring, baby," he whispered against her lips.

"Brandon..." she whispered shakily. She was scared and terrified at the thought of the pain that was soon to come.

He ran his fingers through her hair and hovered his lips near her ear. "Tell me to stop and I will," he coaxed her gently that she found her worries slipping away. "No, don't," she told him almost pleadingly. He positioned himself on top and at her entrance. "You sure?" he asked. She nodded, unable to voice through her sensations. Keeping his eyes open, he slowly slipped inside of her. He didn't want to rush anything; it's her first time and he sure as hell wasn't going to cause her pain. He stopped suddenly when Stella cried out in pain. She bit her lip harshly and closed her eyes tightly shut. She made fist folds of the sheets underneath her as she panted breathlessly. He could see how much she's enduring and it nearly killed him to see her like that. He moved out of her immediately unable to watch her in pain any longer.

"No, don't," she gasped as she tightened her legs around him. "Just...just let me catch my breath," she breathed.

Slowly, she moved her hips against his. Encouraged by her moans, he moved inside of her, increasing his pace with each thrust. It felt so good to be inside of her. Stella moaned loudly with each thrust. "Brandon!" she screamed in pleasure as his fingers worked wonders around her naked flesh. She dug her nails into his shoulders as he thrusted in and out of her rapidly and deeply each time. "Dammit, Stella!" he groaned in pleasure while clenching his jaw tightly and increasing the pace of his thrusts. She held onto him for dear life as they made love to each other.

The thunder roared above but it was unheard by the two young adults. Brandon knew that he wanted to make love someday to Stella, but he never imagined a paradise like this. Her movements matched the pace of his thrusts as he moved deeper inside of her. He watched sweat glisten on her forehead and could tell that she was close. "Oh God!" the blonde cried in ragged breaths of pleasure as she arched her body completely towards him. She screamed his name, unable to handle the bursts of intense pleasure that suddenly enveloped her body. Brandon felt her insides convulse against him as he too tensed and came inside of her with his final thrust. Colors flashed in his eyes as he felt the after effects of the release. They didn't move for a few moments, both feeling the need to catch their breaths. Stella panted and fell back on the bed as small beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

Brandon slowly moved out of her and threw the condom away. He fell beside her on the mattress a few seconds later. Stella slowly scooted over to him and collapsed on top of him. He pulled the covers over both of them before moving to wrap his arms around her. "That was...incredible," he said breathlessly against her forehead as he just ran through the images again. He still couldn't believe that they just...made love. She hummed in response while blushing softly against his chest.

"Are you okay?" he asked her gently while turning towards her. She looked tired. But Stella nodded with a happy little blush on her beautiful face. "Sure?" he asked in concern while glancing deeply into her eyes. He didn't want her to admit into anything for his sake.

"I'll admit...that's not...that's not how I imagined my first time," Stella blushed a vibrant crimson, unable to believe that...they just _made love._ Her heart exploded in sheer happiness. Even though it was spontaneous and totally unplanned, she didn't regret the choice. She was glad that her virginity was taken away _by him_ and no one else.

"Then how?" he asked curiously.

"...Oh snap. I should've waited till your birthday next month," she started to whine. "Now, I have nothing in mind."

A deep chuckle rumbled against his chest. Smirking, he kissed her chastely before speaking. "Believe me, I _love_ early birthday presents," he whispered, making her blush. "Especially like these," he finished with a smirk, eliciting another heartwarming blush from her.

"Um...do you...you don't regret this, right?" she asked him while fidgeting with her fingers nervously. She felt anxiety bubble in her chest already. He drew her closer and gently held her against him. "Did you go deaf when I told you I've wanted you for a long time now?" he said, sounding annoyed. "Really?" she asked with her eyes widening.

He smirked. "Guess you were too busy thinking about raping me to listen."

Stella scoffed as a sharp gasp left her. "I was not!" she hollered.

"Yeah, right," he chuckled.

"Be honest. Did you really mean what you said?" she asked curiously.

He lay to the side, using his elbow to prop him up. He paused for a moment and thought. "Especially since...last Christmas," he said.

Her eyes widened. _Really?_ A deep blush coated her cheeks as she snuggled up to his chest. "I love you, Brand," she mumbled against him. She let out soft coos of pleasure as her body started to tingle from the after effects of the mind-blowing intimacy with him. Certain inexplicable parts of her started to ache but it was the kind of dull pain that was also pleasurable. Just when she thought she couldn't be any more happier, his next words sent her into a dreamy land as his heartbeat lulled to a peaceful sleep.

"I love you more, Stell..." he whispered back while pulling the covers over their heads and drowning out the thundering noises outside.

* * *

 **~ 7:30 AM ~**

Breathing steadily, the next morning, Brandon opened his eyes with a relaxed yawn. He felt oddly at ease and peace as he rested against the pillow. Rubbing his eyes lazily, he moved to get up only to be hindered by the blonde sleeping peacefully in his arms. At the sight of her, the brunette couldn't help but fall back in the bed once more. He watched her sleep with a tenderness in his eyes. His eyes clouded over with happiness as he recalled the previous night's intimate activities. He still couldn't believe that they had sex. It happened so suddenly and so spontaneously. Maybe it was the weather or the cloudy atmosphere that propelled to the decision, but nonetheless...he can't complain about it. She slept in content with her head nuzzled into his chest and her bare body slumped against his.

Smiling down at her, he raised his fingers to gently untangle her heavily, messy blonde strands. He looked outside through the gaps in the curtains and continued to grin when he saw that it was still raining. The clouds were still that perfect shade of cocktail blue as they moved about the sky. Turning towards her again, he leaned over and kissed her forehead before falling back relaxing. _How perfect..._ he thought. Life was perfect. He didn't want or need anything else as long as he had her by his side. He chuckled at how the heated argument from yesterday was now a distant memory and was barely significant. After yesterday, he felt as if he's the one and only person she ever trusted. Their relationship clearly escalated to another level and it's not just the intimacy. The intimacy wasn't rushed or in the heat of the moment by reckless teenagers. Instead, it was built up by trust and faith between two mature adults.

Sighing in bliss, he continued combing her golden blonde hair with his fingers. He loved her hair. She glowed ethereally as the morning light lit it up and gave her mane a lustrous sheen. After a few moments, Stella started to stir. Her eyes opened slowly as she dumbly stared at the first thing she saw in confusion. She realized that it was Brandon's chest before blushing a little and looking around her. "Did you sleep well?" his deep voice bellowed softly as he watched her wake up. She turned to him and smiled sleepily. "Yeah...you...?" she yawned while looking just about ready to close her eyes again. "For how long have been watching me like that?"

He smiled and simply held her silently. _Not nearly long enough._

"Brand...I'm hungry," she mumbled. He started to laugh. "That's the first thing you're gonna say to me?" he asked with an amused eyebrow while gently stroking her bare waist.

She giggled. "What can I say? You're an exceptional cook," she yawned sleepily. "Please...?" she chimed with closed eyes.

"Thirty minutes," he promised before kissing her cheek and gently pushing her aside. Stella clutched the pillow and closed her eyes while he went to prepare breakfast for both of them.

* * *

After lazily goofing around the bed, Stella sat up. As she did so, she couldn't help but bite her lip as dull aches hit her body. She blushed at the new sensations and slowly got up from the bed. She looked around for the clothes she wore last night, only for her eyes to widen when she realized that they were in no state to be worn again. Blushing, she pushed the covers away and quickly hopped to the bathroom. She did her daily routine before hopping into the shower. The warm water soothed her, but she couldn't help but moan at the pain that emerged in different parts of her body, especially from between her legs. She bit her lip at the soreness she felt.

When she finished showering, she turned the tap off and grabbed the nearest towel on the rack. Wrapping it around her body, she yawned. She looked at the mirror only to blush softly. There were multiple marks and hickeys along the sides of her neck. Slowly, she reached up to touch them and turned red as a result. Blushing to herself, she turned around to grab her clothes only to freeze instantly when she realized that she didn't bring any. _Oh great..._ she muttered in annoyance while moving towards the bedroom. She opened the door and instantly went to Brandon's suitcase that was perched in a lone corner. Taking out a comfortable hoodie and shorts, she quickly put them on before throwing in her laundry.

Stella walked back towards the bed and sat on it with a timid blush on her face. She couldn't help but blush a million times as a thousand thoughts raced over her mind. All she could think of was... _wow._ She didn't imagine her first time to be so...so _great_ and almost painless. Actually, it was extremely painful at first but the pain soon subsided, thanks to Brandon's patience. She held out her hands and smiled to herself, resembling no less than a blushing bride as she bit her lip softly. She shakily brought her fingers to her lips, still feeling the tingles from where Brandon kissed her last night. Whenever she moved, she couldn't help but feel the tingles in that certain area.

Smiling to herself, she stood up and moved towards the bed to organize it a little. They got a little too carried away and the poor bed sheet and blankets paid the price for it. She laughed to herself at that.

She moved the blankets to fold them only for her to drop them in shock. Her fingers shook as she covered her mouth in shock, trying not to scream out of surprise. A little color drained from her face when she saw a very much stained white bed sheet. Dried blood imbrued the once pristine sheets as Stella stood there for a few moments, feeling beyond embarrassed. She was just glad that she had seen this stain first. Otherwise... _God help her._

"Stell! You awake yet?!"

Stella gasped when she heard his deep voice emit from the living room. She hurriedly tossed the blankets on the floor before ripping the sheets away from the mattress. Thankfully, the mattress had a translucent, plastic covering that prevented any possible stains.

"I'm up!" Stella yelled back when she heard his footsteps down the hallway. She took the bed sheet before making a run for it to the bathroom. She slammed the door shut just as Brandon entered the room. "Stel? You okay?!" he called out in concern.

"Y-Yes! Can't a girl get some privacy?!" she fired back as she placed the cloth under the sink to wash the blood away in hot water.

"What's there to hide when I've pretty much seen everything?!" he rolled his eyes in annoyance with a smirk playing on his lips while standing just outside the door. Stella blushed at his words before scrubbing the stain off. When she scrubbed enough with soap, she washed her hands with a hand soap. Grimacing, she tossed the sheets in the washing machine before adding lots of powder and setting it on.

"What the hell are you doing inside?!" he asked while knocking on the door.

"What does anyone do in a bathroom?!" she yelled back in annoyance at his clear lack of respect for some privacy. Sighing in relief, she moved towards the door. Opening it with a snap, he looked at her stunned for a second. Stella huffed before opening the door fully and stepping outside.

She yelped when he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"Just great," she grinned while giving him a thumbs up.

"Well...gosh, I would believe you except...you're the worst liar I've ever seen," he said while rolling his eyes.

" _Gosh?_ Did you just say _gosh?"_ Stella asked incredulously before bursting out laughing. Tossing her a 'are-you-kidding-me' look, he held her tighter. "I'm fine. Don't I look fine?" she asked.

"You look more than fine, actually," he chuckled near her ear. Her eyes widened at the double meaning suggestion she accidentally gave him and ended up with reddened cheeks. "But...what's bothering you?" he asked again.

"I said I'm fine. Why're you asking me so many times?" she asked while telling him to stop.

"Because you look like you've seen a ghost's shadow," he replied with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm fine," she grinned.

"Don't give me that," he said gently. "I _know_ something's not right. You can tell me anything, Stell. You know that."

She bit her lip, knowing that she can't hide from him forever. Besides, it's not a big deal. It's perfectly normal and...hopefully, he'll understand it the same way. "Promise not to laugh?" she spoke almost child-like against his neck.

"Of course not, sunshine," he coaxed her gently, ignoring the way her lips gliding against his shoulder sent sparks flying off his spine. "I'd never laugh at you."

"It's um...when we..." she started but ended up stammering. "I told you I am a virgin. I was until yesterday anyway," she whispered with a blush into his shirt.

"I know," he smiled while holding her close. He actually liked that a lot. He loved the fact that he was able to turn her into a woman and that he was her _first._ But he didn't quite understand what she was getting to.

"Um...when we finished, I...um...I bled a little," she finished timidly.

His eyes widened. "You what?!" he yelled in shock, going rigid and stiff. His grip on her momentarily slackened as he registered her words in. _She bled?!_ he thought wildly in panic, clearly not knowing that it was normal for some females. He pulled her back and shook her by the shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me to stop?!" he growled almost angrily. "I was clearly hurting you and..." he trailed off in pain as he released her with a shove and started pacing around the room.

"What? No, you didn't-"

Brandon raked a frenzy hand through his hair. "I can't believe that..." he closed his eyes in pain while looking at her with the deepest apology. "Stel...why? Why wouldn't you tell me?!" he asked in agony in almost a painful whisper. Stella's eyes widened in concern as she went over to him. He fell on the bed and sat there with his face buried in his hands.

"Hey, you didn't hurt me," she told him while kneeling in front of him. "Even if you had...I...I probably wouldn't have stopped you."

His eyes opened in a flash. "WHAT?! What the hell is that?! No, you sure as hell don't deserve that-"

"I'm just saying that because I love you. But I'm telling you that you didn't hurt me. I'm fine. See?" she smiled at him while moving closer to him. She didn't want him to think that he hurt her physically when actually, he was responsible for the best night of her young life. He gave her the best birthday present ever, worth more than anything in this world.

"Please don't beat yourself over it," she told him. "I don't regret what we did."

"Me neither. But I'm sorry," he whispered while attaching his forehead down on hers. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," she protested. "It's normal since it's my first time and you're overreacting for nothing. I was just embarrassed to tell you about the stained sheets."

"Huh?" he looked at her in confusion before looking at the bed. His eyes widened when she sheepishly admitted to throwing the sheets in the washing machine.

Sighing in relief, he gently cradled her head. "You're okay, right?" he asked her once more to be sure.

She nodded. He sighed in relief and hugged her. He didn't know what he'd do if he really did somehow... _hurt_ her. He told himself every step of the way that it was her first time. It was always the girl who will face a pain during her first sex experience. Well, knowing that she's okay now was relieving.

"Breakfast?" she asked while peeping from his embrace to look at him.

A small smile burst forth his lips as he slowly stood up and nodded. And Stella couldn't help the grin that came about her face as she walked with him hand-in-hand. "Thank you," she whispered while hugging his torso and snuggling into him.

"For what?"

"For being the most amazing man I've ever met," she admitted shyly.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Right back at you," he whispered as his lips traveled to hers greedily. Their kiss slowly deepened and turned passionate as their breakfast was soon forgotten as they tumbled and stumbled their way to the bedroom once more.

* * *

 _ **Many hours later...**_

 **~ The Same Evening - 5:00 PM ~**

Stella looked at the time sadly. It won't be long till he leaves. She was thankful that her birthday was on a Saturday and that he stayed an extra day for her. "Hey, why the long face?" he asked gently. Stella sighed as she snuggled deeper into him and struggled not to cry already. "I don't want you to go," she started to sniffle.

"You'll see me again," he smiled, knowing that his next visit will probably be sooner than this one.

"When? When I graduate?!" Stella snapped. She thought for a moment and her eyes lit up when she remembered that his birthday was next month.

"Flora's wedding," he told her. "It's during your spring break."

She moaned softly as she continued to ache but she blushed at the tender pains. The after consequences were pleasant and soothing. So she can't say that she complained. "How about I massage you?" he smirked. Stella glared at his innocent smile. _Too innocent._

"I doubt that's all you're gonna do," she said while slapping his chest.

"I never said it wasn't," he smirked while leaning in for another kiss. A hand slipped under the hoodie he gave her and gently squeezed her waist, eliciting a soft moan from her lips. She cooed in pleasure as her eyes drooped sleepily. _It felt so good..._ His other hand held her close and slowly ran it through her loose hair. She melted into his arms as his hand started to massage her back.

She yawned sleepily from the hours of intimacy and couldn't keep her eyes open, despite wanting to so badly.

* * *

 **~ The Same Night - 8:30 PM ~**

"Sunshine...?"

A gentle, yet firm, voice slowly shook the sleeping blonde awake. Stella sleepily opened her eyes, wondering what was happening.

"Stell...wake up," Brandon gently shook her awake. Stella gasped as she fully opened her eyes, realizing she fell asleep. She sat up straight and looked at him clearly. He was dressed in jeans and leather jacket with a tee underneath. Her heart dropped dishearteningly when she realized that she fell asleep instead of spending quality time with him. "You're...leaving...?" she asked sadly despite knowing the answer already.

He nodded while kissing her forehead. "I have to if I want to make it back before midnight," he answered her.

"Please don't go," she pleaded while crawling over to him.

He remained silent for a few moments, wondering he had to lose. Other than boring meetings and dozens of stacks of papers to go through, he had nothing. She, however, had something to miss. He'll be her biggest distraction if he stayed here. Despite wanting to stay, he knew he can't.

"Stell..." he breathed while holding her.

She looked away sadly. "I know, I know...you have to go," she whispered, feeling like she'll never see him again in a long time.

"We'll see each other again," he smiled. He'll definitely miss her this time. The last time she left, he was almost glad that she left. A few more days with her...he probably would've lost all restraint with her. But now...they had nothing else to hide and he felt a much more closer and deeper connection towards her.

"I'll drive up to see you," she grinned, encouraging herself that this wasn't a permanent goodbye.

"Don't you dare," he warned.

"I have to come for your birthday anyway," she happily smiled, ignoring the glare he was shooting her way.

"I'd feel better if I trusted you on roads," he rolled his eyes.

"Watch me drive. We have both our cars here."

He shook his head. "I called Jay and Bloom to take your car back to Princeton," he told her. "I'll drop you off."

"Really?!" she squealed. He didn't miss the way her eyes shone brightly of the idea of quality time.

"Really," he confirmed while tapping her nose. "Now, get ready. We'll eat and I'll drop you off."

She nodded and hopped off of him, but not before kissing him briefly. He smiled as she skipped to the bathroom. His smile, however, faltered when he dreaded dropping her off. He was just as anxious as she was, maybe even more, but he was just better at hiding his emotions. He sighed, knowing he'll miss her like crazy. He sighed again, knowing he was at fault. If they hadn't fought over a year ago...they wouldn't have had to live separately now. He brightened up when he remembered that she'll graduate in about five months and finally come back to him.

 _Little did he know that things will change and be different after Stella's graduation. Fate always has a way to screw with perfect endings._

* * *

 ** _The Next Day..._**

 **~ Shields' Corporations, New York - 9:00 AM ~**

"Lisa, I'm sorry about Stella yesterday," Brandon apologized. "She didn't mean to."

Lisa airily waved and smiled. "I should be the one apologizing. I was just happy for you and I guess I overreacted a little. Believe me, I wouldn't have reacted any differently if it were her."

Brandon smiled while hugging his friend to which she gladly returned. "Thank you."

After pulling back, Lisa whistled wolfishly. "What's up with you though? You look as if you've hit a gold mine," she smirked.

Brandon felt his neck lightly redden. "Something like that," he chuckled sheepishly while rubbing the back of his neck before going back to his desk.

"Good for you, dude," Lisa winked before heading out.

Brandon chuckled and revolved calmly around the chair. He did hit something worth way more than a gold mine. He gained Stella's ultimate trust and...wasn't it enough? He could still feel bits of her scent on his body. Smiling to himself like a loon, he went back to work. He only hoped he'll be able to focus properly until he can see her again, otherwise, he's in some deep shit.

* * *

 **~ Princeton University, New Jersey - 12:30 AM ~**

Bloom, Tecna, and Stella walked side by side to the cafeteria, lost in their merry chatter.

"I can't believe we'll graduate in a few months!" Bloom sighed blissfully while flopping into a chair with her tray of food.

"I know," Tecna nodded. "Two years sure fly by fast."

Stella simply nodded.

"I sooo deserve a car after this! My parents don't trust me with anything other than a bike!" Bloom complained while whining.

"If you deserve a car, Tecna deserves the school to be named after her," Stella snorted unladylike while Tecna laughed. The latter is the valedictorian of this year while Stella is in 9th place and Bloom is in 39th.

Bloom suddenly chirped. "Speaking of, mind telling us why you're glowing?" the redhead smirked at the blonde.

"Excuse me?" Stella stammered. "I'm not," she defended herself pathetically, but she couldn't push the blush down.

Tecna looked at Stella with interest as she started to lightly smirk in curiosity. "Really? You're practically radiating happiness," she noted.

"Tecna! Not helpful," Stella blushed while stammering like an idiot.

Bloom whistled. "So...you and Brandon finally...did it?!" she nearly screamed at the realization.

"Bloom!" Stella hollered while pounding a fist into the table, earning a few stares from other tables. The blonde mouthed an apology to them before turning to her own. "Mind your damn business!" the blonde hissed.

"Oh come on! We're best friends. We tell each other everything!" Bloom shrugged and Tecna simply shook her head in amusement.

"As if that justifies you invading my sex life shamelessly," Stella muttered, accidentally let it slip out. Blushing at what she just said, she covered her face in embarrassment while Bloom and Tecna started to laugh uncontrollably.

"Awww, that's nothing to be ashamed of, Stel!" Tecna giggled.

Bloom stopped laughing and looked weirdly at Tecna. "You mean...you and Timmy also...?"

Tecna looked downright offended. "I'm not totally an anti-social butterfly, you know," she rolled her eyes, confirming that she and Timmy were serious as well.

"You didn't tell us!" Bloom gasped.

Stella giggled at Tecna's blushing face and decided to point out helpfully. "Bloomy, some of us prefer to keep our private lives...private," the blonde smirked.

"See? Thank you!" Tecna high-fived Stella.

Bloom rolled her eyes. "Whatever. My sweetheart and I have nothing to hide," the redhead sighed dreamily.

Stella and Tecna groaned in agony. "Well, you should try it once," Stella muttered in disgust, earning a fit of giggles from her pink-haired friend.

The three continued to chatter endlessly until the bell finally ring to usher students back to their classes.

* * *

 **~ 6:30 PM ~**

Stella hopped on her bed excitedly. When she woke up this morning, she _completely_ forgot about her present. She hadn't opened the gift that Brandon gave her. She placed the box on her bed and wiggled it a little. It didn't make any sound that she could decipher.

"What is that?" Bloom asked.

Stella blushed. "Brandon gave it to me the day before and I hadn't opened it yet."

Bloom gasped and joined the blonde on her bed. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for?! Open it!" the redhead squeaked, ignoring the look Stella gave her. Brandon always showered Stella with gifts and practically made her walk on rose petals. His presents were always thoughtful and beautiful. Tecna took out her headphones, wondering what the ruckus is about. "You guys mind keeping it down?" she said a little annoyed.

"Screw it, Tec! I want to know what Brandon gave to Stella!" Bloom glared.

Tecna's eyes widened. "You mean you haven't opened it yet," the fuchsia-haired girl hopped off the bed while placing her laptop to the side.

"He told me to open it after he left," Stella blushed.

"Well, he left ages ago! Open it!" Bloom clapped her hands impatiently. Tecna simply crossed her arms but there was a huge interest on her face as well.

Stella tossed them both a dry look. "Is privacy a foreign concept to you?"

"Yes especially when our roommate gets expensive gifts," Tecna winked.

Stella's toes warmed at the thought of him again. She honestly didn't care for the price of the object. If it was something from him, then she'd treasure it with all of her heart. Sighing at them and knowing that they won't leave until they know what's inside, Stella slowly pulled the wrapping paper away.

A cardboard box tumbled out of the paper. Bloom handed her scissors to pry open the tape. Stella peeked inside and opened the box fully. She gasped when she saw a royal blue velvet case inside. It didn't need a twenty three year old to realize that it was a jewelry case. Stella shakily took it out and opened it out. A collective gasp could be heard from around the room.

The blonde's eyes widened when she saw a diamond cut necklace with a solitaire diamond pendant sitting in the center. Her fingers hovered over the case with a feathery touch as she noted the matching earrings on the bottom. Bloom started to squeal. "Is that the bomb or what?!" the redhead murmured excitedly. "Stel, you're so lucky!" Tecna exclaimed as she stared at the beautiful case with awe on her features. The necklace was simple with a thin chain. Stella smiled and blushed as she remembered that he always had the best taste in jewelry.

She gently put the case back in the box and took out the second box. Her amber eyes widened curiously when she realized that it was no box. It was a book with burgundy leather hardback binding. Her lips burst open into a soft smile when she saw their names written in golden calligraphic letters.

 _Stella and Brandon Shields_

The cover of the book had a huge picture of them. Stella's heart burst in joy when she saw that it was a picture from the gala they took _this_ year. They were both in a candid shot during one of their many dances. It was on the second day where she wore a burgundy keyhole trumpet mermaid dress that complimented her figure to perfection.

The position was when Brandon had dipped her with a smirk on his lips while a faint of blush was present on her cheeks. They looked so happy and so much in love that Stella couldn't even stop grinning for a single second.

"Aww, look at you, Stell!" Bloom murmured softly in adoration while hugging her friend.

"You guys look so happy," Tecna complimented while smiling at the picture on the front. It was so beautiful. Despite their temporary break up, they looked so happy here.

"Thanks, girls," Stella whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the candid shot. It was clear that Heather had taken the pictures.

"I guess we'll leave you to it," Bloom said while slowly moving away. Tecna sat on the edge of the blonde's bed. "Stel?"

Stella turned to Tecna and gasped when the latter hugged her tightly. "It's so good to finally see you so...happy," Tecna told her. Stella's eyes brimmed with joy. "Thanks, Tec," she replied while hugging her back.

Stella was soon left alone by her roommates. Blushing like a lovesick fool, she opened the book.

She gasped to see that it was a photo album. Her lips smiled widely at the pictures down below. Her childhood pictures as a baby and toddler were to the left while his were on the right. Stella let out a 'awww' when she saw Brandon looking absolutely adorable in a little tux. He was so short and cute and was grinning at Heather who held him in her arms. Heather and Lucas looked so young.

To the left side of the page, she saw her own pictures. Her eyes watered when she saw her parents who were quite young as well. Her mother was still a teenager when she was born. Nonetheless, they all looked so happy. Stella made a mental note to ask Brandon how he got her pictures. It was probably Musa or Layla.

As she turned the page with a wide grin, she saw more pictures of them as children. Stella gushed when she saw a taller Brandon in Lucas's arms and a brunette baby girl in Heather's arms. _Flora._ She was so freaking adorable in a flowery tutu.

Stella turned the pages, her grin growing each passing second. Now, they were all older. The blonde laughed when she realized that she was taller than Brandon up until middle school. He must've hit puberty and his growth spurt rocketed him to his towering height. She dreamily sighed at the pictures of a hot football player, basketball player, and wrestler. _I didn't know he was a wrestler in high school,_ Stella thought. It was freaking hot though. She blushed. He was still lean at that time. He became athletic and muscular by the time he reached his junior year. The muscles shaped themselves further in his senior year. He appeared to be such a fitness freak.

Stella looked at her younger thirteen year old self and laughed. She had braces when she was young. And not to mention the cringe-worthy frizzy hair. Somehow, for the most part, puberty has been kind to her, save for a pizza zit attack in tenth grade. She was almost extremely chubby up until eighth grade but lost her baby fat naturally as she neared high school. _I was so young,_ she mused to herself.

Stella blushed when she turned another page and saw pictures of Brandon graduating from the university at the top of his class while she was probably a sophomore or junior at that time. _Damn it,_ she flushed as her cheeks turned red at how handsome he was. He was still young and he had that innocent boyish charm on his face. She looked at herself who was either posing with her friends or parents. She traced her fingers over her late parents' faces as she struggled not to cry. She saw pictures of herself graduating from college. Tears erupted in her eyes from the pit of her heart as she remembered that this was the exact time when she broke up with Jason, met Brandon, and heard the devastating news through a phone call.

"Mom...dad..." she inaudibly whispered tearfully.

She turned the page yet again and gasped when she saw their wedding pictures. The pictures were mainly of her and him, save for a few group pictures. She found herself smiling yet once again as she traced her wedding dress with her fingers. She hadn't noticed it back then, but seeing it now hit her with a wave of nostalgia. For some reason, she wished that she wasn't so grief-stricken for her own wedding. Weddings happen once in a lifetime and sad faces just didn't belong there.

She didn't believe in divorce or remarriages, for they were against her moral principles and contrasted against her definition of true love. She smiled at how handsome Brandon looked in his tux. She blushed when she saw a portrait as they posed for the photographers that Heather supposedly hired. They were together when Stella hugged Brandon by his neck and his arms were around her waist. She laughed to herself when she remembered how downright uncomfortable they felt around each other at that time.

Turning the pages even more, she gushed at their moments _together._ Up till now, it was pictures of them living unbeknownst to each other. But now...their life _together_ began.

 _Memories of their road trip, Stella and Jay posing together like playful siblings, Brandon asking Stella to move in with him and the memories they took there, the gala night..._

The year between them was not mentioned and a third person wouldn't have been able to tell that they didn't see each other for a whole year. The pictures skipped over the year and finally portrayed the last gala night and finally...

 _Christmas._

Stella's eyes watered with happiness as her face beamed and glowed ethereally with a newfound joy. She turned to the last page and a large portrait of them both together. It was a picture of Brandon laughing and winking at the camera while he held her legs in a piggy back style. She was smiling beautifully for the camera as she kissed his cheek with a huge grin plastered all over her face. It was taken this December and Heather had taken it when the couple went over to visit. A little note was scribbled on the bottom of the page.

 _There are no words to how special you are to me. You're the center of my universe, Sunshine. There's nothing I want more than to wake up by your side every day and watch you smile._

 _Happy birthday, Sunshine._

A tear slid down her eye as she closed the book. She could literally imagine his voice at the moment, saying these words. She swiftly wiped the lonely away. This was the best gift he could ever give her and she honestly couldn't believe how happy she was at the moment. He showed how how far they had both gotten and that he couldn't be any more happier.

Picking up her phone, she knew she had to call him and tell him how much she loved him.

* * *

 **~ Shields Corporations', New York - 7:40 PM ~**

Rolling back his stiff shoulder blades, Brandon locked the door to his office. He was more than ready to call it a night and just go home. He hadn't talked to Stella all day either other than the occasional texts, so there's that.

"Dr. Shields, you're leaving?" Lisa Haydon emerged from her office a few rooms away. She smiled politely as she approached him.

"Lisa, I'd really appreciate it if you talked to me like a friend," he smirked while slowly walking down the hallway. Lisa laughed as she walked with him. "Well, you idiot, if people see us as anything closer than a professional relationship, they might question your fidelity," she said.

Brandon chuckled. "My fidelity is unquestioned, thank you very much. What's up?"

"Oh right. Nearly forgot. I need you to sign this," she told him while handing him a set of agreement papers.

Brandon nodded. "I'll read over it tonight," he told her as she nodded.

"Good night, Brandon," Lisa smiled.

"'Night," he grinned while continuing to walk down the less busy hallway. There weren't as many employees as there were in the morning and afternoon.

"Dr. Shields?" the receptionist suddenly stood up as he passed by.

"Yes?" he stopped while turning around.

"There's someone who wanted to see you," she replied.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the time. "I don't have any appointments at this time."

"I'm sorry, sir. She was insistent and said that she was a long time friend of yours."

"Who?" he narrowed his eyes.

"She just went that way, sir," the receptionist said while pointing towards the direction he had been walking in.

Brandon's ears perked up at the sound of pointy, clicking heels making their way towards him. He turned to the direction the receptionist point. His face immediately paled as his features lost all colors. He struggled not to stagger in his position and stand still. "Skylar...?" he whispered in shock as his eyes went wide and lips slightly parted open. He watched a young woman in her early twenties elegantly walk towards him with a victorious and confident smile. _Skylar Black..._

She halted just in front of him. "Brandon...it's been a while..." she smiled and moved to wrap her arms around his neck. She moved closer and nuzzled her lips near his ear. "Hasn't it?" she whispered while the brunette gaped in never-ending shock and stood frozen solid. His heart thumped against his chest violently as he couldn't believe the woman who has enticed him for years...was standing not less than inches away from him.

"Sky...is that really you?" he whispered as she pulled back.

"Of course it is..." she breathed as she gazed at him. "I missed you so much," she smiled.

Brandon stood still as he took her face in. She was gorgeous as always. Her jet black hair tumbled down in glossy waves as she stood confidently before him in a black pencil skirt and white ruffled blouse.

"What...what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice a little breathless.

"I wanted to see you," she smirked. "Can't I?" she cooed.

Brandon stared at her for a long moment, feeling his breath knocked away. He didn't know why his heart hammered loudly against the walls of his chest.

 _He never noticed the phone vibrating in his pocket._

Instead, he stood gawking at her, unable to believe that she's really here. The feelings, the desire, and the passion he once had for her returned to him with full force as he remembered how he pined and longed for her. Skylar stood there with a small smirk playing on her cherry red lips as she met his eyes with an intense gaze.

* * *

 ** _Preview for the next chapter:_**

 _"What the hell is she doing here?" he asked with a growl._

 _"She's the new managing director of the designing division," Lisa pointed out._

 _"Fire her. NOW. I don't want her anywhere on these premises."_

 _"What?! Do you have any idea of her qualifications?! She's more than eligible-!"_

 _"I DON'T CARE! Fire her, Lisa!" Brandon yelled while taking a paper weight and hurling it loudly against the wall, making it crash to the wall and shatter against the floor into million pieces._

 _"Are you insane?! Why!?"_

 _Brandon fell speechless. Why...? Because..._

 _He breathed as he looked out the window. Why...? Because he's scared. He's scared of betrayal. From her side or...his own._

* * *

 **-:-:-:-**

* * *

K. So I'll be inserting these previews in my chapters from now on. Thank you to the user who suggested that :)!

*yawns sleepily* This is me sitting up from 7:00 PM till 2:00 AM in the morning xD I don't know why but I wanted to finish this in one sitting. ANYWAYS. I hope you're all satisfied with the length of this chapter. _29,000+ words!_ _My regular chapters are around 6000-7000 words, so this chapter is like worth about 5-ish regular chapters? So I hope that's worth something!_ Oh and I'm sooooo sorry if the sex scene downright sucked. I've never experienced it personally, so I was very uncomfortable in writing it. Heh, I don't think I'll write one ever again. Jesus. I think I'll just copy and paste the next time I use such scenes -_- Anyways, so that's that.

 _ **IMPORTANT (Please do read):**_

I WILL NOT BE UPDATING FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. I'm taking a much needed vacation and I'm off to spend some quality time with my family. I live in a dorm and so far away from my home, so I miss my family a lot and get easily homesick. And I'm mourning for enough people at once already.

So please, respect my privacy and my free time. I have a sincere request for all of you: please don't __pressure me to update. I deserve a vacation as well every once in a while. Please don't be mean like certain people I've had the unfortunate chance to encounter the last few days. It's horrible and it hurts me A LOT. This is why I'm letting you know beforehand that I'm taking a relaxing, technology-free vacation. I MIGHT (but _no_ guarantee) update or throw in a chapter or two, but I can't promise anything.

Oh and guys, I've set up a _**new poll**_ on my page. So PLEASE, take it. I won't be there so I want to know what story you want me to update when I eventually return. It's SO much easier (and it'll be faster) for me update if I knew what to update next. I spend hours debating on what the heck to write so I write a little bit of every story, making it impossible for me to actually publish it on here. So, please do me a favor and select up to 5 stories :)

Thank you so much :)

 ** _Happy holidays and a happy summer vacation! :D_**

 ** _P.S. I don't know if this chapter is boring...but this was the best I could do. I don't feel very well emotionally but I hope that when I come back in early August, I don't disappoint with my stories this much._** ** _Thank you for reading this far :) It means a lot to me._** ** _Feel free to throw in constructive criticism and advise/suggestions. But please don't show hate. It hurts more than you know and I'm sure you wouldn't like it if someone did it to you._**


	27. Skylar Black

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **Many, many thanks to the wonderful people who've reviewed so beautifully and made me smile SO much!**_

 _P.S. Hi, guys. So I'm really sorry if there are grammatical/silly mistakes. I'm way too lazy for proofreading and I know I'm not a good role model when I admit that as a writer! I'm sorry, so please overlook that fact._

* * *

 **~ Shields Corporations', New York - 7:40 PM ~**

Rolling back his stiff shoulder blades, Brandon locked the door to his office. He was more than ready to call it a night and just go home. He hadn't talked to Stella all day either other than the occasional texts, so there's that to attend to. He couldn't help the grin that came onto face as his mind drifted towards the beautiful blonde.

"Dr. Shields, you're leaving?" Lisa Haydon emerged from her office a few rooms away. She smiled politely as she approached him.

"Lisa, I'd really appreciate it if you talked to me like a friend," he smirked while slowly walking down the hallway. Lisa laughed as she walked with him. "Well, you idiot, if people see us as anything closer than a professional relationship, they might question your fidelity," she said.

Brandon chuckled. "My fidelity is unquestioned, thank you very much. What's up?"

"Oh right. Nearly forgot. I need you to sign this," she told him while handing him a set of agreement papers.

Brandon nodded. "I'll read over it tonight," he told her as she nodded.

"Good night, Brandon," Lisa smiled.

"'Night," he grinned while continuing to walk down the less busy hallway. There weren't as many employees as there were in the morning and afternoon.

"Dr. Shields?" the receptionist suddenly stood up as he passed by.

"Yes?" he stopped while turning around.

"There's someone who wanted to see you," she replied.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the time. "I don't have any appointments at this time."

"I'm sorry, sir. She was insistent and said that she was a long time friend of yours."

"Who?" he narrowed his eyes.

"She just went that way, sir," the receptionist said while pointing towards the direction he had been walking in.

Brandon's ears perked up at the sound of pointy, clicking heels making their way towards him. He turned to the direction the receptionist point. His face immediately paled as his features lost all colors. He struggled not to stagger in his position and stand still. "Skylar...?" he whispered in shock as his eyes went wide and lips slightly parted open. He watched a young woman in her early twenties elegantly walk towards him with a victorious and confident smile.

 _Skylar Black..._

She halted just in front of him. "Brandon...it's been a while..." she smiled and moved to wrap her arms around his neck. She moved closer and nuzzled her lips near his ear. "Hasn't it?" she whispered while the brunette gaped in never-ending shock and stood frozen solid. His heart thumped against his chest violently as he couldn't believe the woman who has enticed him for years...was standing not less than inches away from him.

"Sky...is that really you?" he whispered as she pulled back.

"Of course it is..." she breathed as she gazed at him. "I missed you so much," she smiled.

Brandon stood still as he took her face in. She was gorgeous as always. Her jet black hair tumbled down in glossy waves as she stood confidently before him in a black pencil skirt and white ruffled blouse.

"What...what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice a little breathlessly.

"I wanted to see you," she smirked. "Can't I?" she cooed.

Brandon stared at her for a long moment, feeling his breath knocked away. He didn't know why his heart hammered loudly against the walls of his chest.

 _He never noticed the phone vibrating in his pocket._

Instead, he stood gawking at her, unable to believe that she's really here. The feelings, the desire, and the passion he once had for her returned to him with full force as he remembered how he pined and longed for her. Skylar stood there with a small smirk playing on her cherry red lips as she met his eyes with an intense gaze.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 7:50 PM ~**

A painful silence ensued as the former flames sat in Brandon's office. He looked extremely uncomfortable and completely shell shocked as he struggled not to drop his jaw to the floor from gaping.

 _Five years._

It's been five years since he last saw her. But that didn't diminish his memory of her. He gave her a once-over. Her jet black hair hung in shiny, wavy curls as she sat elegantly with one leg crossed over the other in front of him. She was poised, refined, and classy in her manner. Her smoky makeup was applied to a seductive perfection as she scrutinized him in as well. Her shiny red pout was the new definition of enticement.

Her piercing, ocean blue eyes softened a tad as she took his appearance in. It's been a long time since she saw him directly _like this_ and he hadn't changed _one_ bit. Except for the fact that he's now _sinfully_ handsome that made her insides curl with ecstasy. There was no boyish look to him anymore. His brown eyes were calm but also alert. His face was neutral and devoid of any emotion.

"It's been a while," Brandon said quietly.

Skylar smiled. "Yes, it has. How have you been?"

The brunette sighed. His jaw clenched and his face stiffened tensely. "Fine. You?"

"...Good. I guess."

 _..._

 _Silence._

 _..._

The atmosphere turned thick and hot. Little beads of sweat formed at the base of Brandon's neck and his face grew warm. _What's happening to me?_ he frowned.

"You look great," she smiled.

He breathed as he listened to her voice. _A voice that he once loved._ It was more feminine, but it also held a distinctive boldness. If he was going to be completely and fully honest with himself, he had to admit that he still found her voice highly attractive.

"So do you," he replied truthfully.

He bit his lip slightly as he gazed at her. She was still gorgeous and was even more attractive than before. He sighed, clearly not liking the way his thoughts swayed. He had a wife now. Brandon frowned. _Stella._ She wasn't his girlfriend. On paper and in his heart, he accepted her wholeheartedly as his wife a long time ago. _Until today._ His mind started to drift as he found himself struggling to focus.

"I've been here for ten minutes and this is how you greet me?" she cooed with a smirk at the ensuing silence.

Brandon shut his eyes and reopened them again a moment later. "Why're you here, Sky? Why _now?_ After five years." He looked her earnestly, waiting for an explanation. His eyes clouded over with pain as he remembered the way she left him. It was a mutual (not really) breakup, but it was her who convinced him to break up for good. She left him without a trace for five whole years.

 _No phone calls, no texts, and no emails._

 _For._

 _Five._

 _Freaking._

 _Years!_

And now, she's back without a notice. _Why?_ Why is she back?!

"...You called me Sky," she whispered. "Doesn't that tell you anything?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Not anything I didn't already know."

Skylar smiled beautifully. "You haven't forgotten about me...have you?"

His eyes widened at her presumptuous assumption. "I'm married, Sky," he cut her off firmly.

She laughed. Her laugh sent a chord of nostalgia into his heart as he started to remember the countless amount of times she laughed in his arms. "Married? Brandon...I know that you didn't marry out of love," she smirked. "You don't have to hide it."

"Maybe. But I love my wife now," he snapped, meaning every word. Stella is his wife and he truly loved her. His mind traveled to the night they made love. It was still fresh and beautiful in his mind. _She_ was beautiful that night as she lay in his arms shyly. And he hadn't regretted it.

"...Let's just say you do," she smirked. "Does Stella know about us?"

His eyes widened. "You k-know her?" he whispered.

Skylar rolled her eyes. "Who doesn't? She's been all over the news since your overly private wedding. Besides, I met her at the gala last year. Quite clumsy, I must say," she said with a twinge of distaste on her tongue, remembering how Stella nearly knocked her over and almost spilled a colored drink over her dress.

Brandon suppressed a small smile. Of course, the blonde was clumsy. But then again... _that's also why she's so charming and cute,_ he finished. There wasn't anything about Stella that he disliked.

He crossed a leg over the other. "Sky, I love Stella. I hadn't thought about you since she came into my life," he told her, meaning every word. He looked away and rubbed his chin slightly, hoping that she'll leave soon.

"She doesn't know about us, does she?" Skylar smirked.

Brandon remained silent and didn't turn to face her.

 _So it's true,_ she thought as her smirk grew.

"...You were my past. She doesn't need to know," Brandon said in a low voice as a sigh escaped his lips.

Skylar smirked and stood up. "I'll be the judge of that."

Brandon's eyes instantly darkened as he stood up to his towering height. "You'll do no such thing," he hissed as he ferociously took a step closer.

"Did you know how shocked I was when I heard you were married?" Skylar asked out of the blue. "I still can't believe it sometimes."

"Well then, _believe it,"_ he snapped. "I'm a married man."

"How could you?!" she growled as she grabbed his collar. "We had so much! We were in love!" she said as she shook him by the collar.

How could _he?_ That's quite the hypocrisy. He begged. He begged for her to stay but she hadn't. She left him even though she was still in love with him. He didn't blame her much because...if she had been in his position, it would definitely make it hard for him to look at her, let alone be with her.

His eyes softened as he placed a gentle palm over her hands. "...And you threw it away. _You threw us away,_ " he whispered.

Her eyes started to water angrily. "Is that my fault?!" she growled.

He looked away painfully. "...I haven't forgiven my father since the day you left, Sky...I still don't," he said in a low whisper. "You left me completely broken. I waited for you for three whole years. But...you never came back. You left without a trace," he said.

"But I'm back now!" she said as more tears clouded her glistening blue eyes. He remained silent and looked at her. She shook him to get his attention. "Brandon!" she nearly screamed and begged for him to say something. She's back now! They can be together again-

"...It doesn't matter anymore," he said. "Because now...now, it's too late. I'm sorry, Sky. I really am. But I can't leave Stella. I love her too much to let her get hurt," he said as tears sprung to his eyes. "I'm really sorry."

With a gentle shove, he removed her arms from him and pushed her away.

"Brandon, don't. _Please,"_ she begged.

Moving forward, he held her face in his hands. The face that left him with nightmares and took his sleep away for years...but it was the same face he longed for and begged to return to him.

He leaned forward and gently kissed her forehead. "I'll always love you," he whispered against her forehead. "But not enough to leave Stella."

His eyes softened when he saw the tears from rejection in Skylar's eyes. It really pained him to see her like that and sent him spiraling in agony. But he didn't have a choice. _Stella..._

She's not his fling or just a girlfriend. She's his wife. He made a vow. He made a lifelong commitment to her and he can't afford to go back on his promise. There's so much he can lose because of this. And he's not...he's not ready to do that.

"I didn't want to do this. I really didn't," Skylar's eyes turned red with anger. "But I see now that I have no choice," she hissed.

His brown eyes held pain as she suddenly grabbed her bag and gracefully exited the room with her sky high black heels clicking sharply against the marble tiles.

"I'm sorry, Sky," he whispered to no one as tears filled his deep brown eyes. He shut his eyes, allowing a tear to slip past his cheek. He sat on the sofa, feeling the familiarity of heartbreak all over again. He thought he had finally let Skylar go the first time he kissed Stella in the hotel room. He thought he was done mourning over her. But...clearly _not._

It took only ten seconds of her being back and he's back to square one. The day she left...

He shut his eyes, trying not to cry over her anymore.

 _"Sky, wait!" a twenty year old Brandon ran after the crying nineteen year old. It didn't take him long to reach her. He grabbed her shoulders to make her halt._

 _"Don't touch me!" she screamed acridly as she ferociously glared at him. She pushed his hands away as if they were filled with scorching acid. More tears erupted in her eyes as she saw him with hurt eyes as well._

 _"Don't," he whispered with tears in his eyes as he neared her once more. "Don't leave me," he begged pitifully. Hesitantly, he took her hand in his as she sobbed. Her cries killed him each other, but he can't make her understand that._

 _"Brandon...I can't. I'm sorry. I've tried so hard to forget, but I can't!" she cried as she pushed him away once again. "I can't be with you knowing that..." she trailed off while biting her lip._

 _"Is that my fault?" he whispered as tears freely rolled down his cheeks. "Is it?"_

 _"No. But I can't stay with you knowing that YOUR father destroyed my family," she sobbed._

 _"Sky, don't-" he pleaded but he was firmly cut off as she flung herself into his arms and kissed him passionately. He reciprocated instantly and wrapped his arms tightly around her. They continued to kiss as their tears mingled with each other. But she pushed him away too soon. "Goodbye," she whispered as she kissed his cheek one finally time. She took his hand and placed an object in it before she left him for good. She didn't turn back once because she knew if she did, she'll run back into his awaiting arms again._

Brandon shut his eyes, trying to remember that all of that was years ago. He had a present now. He had a present and he had a future.

 _...Did he though?_

* * *

 **~ 8:45 PM ~**

Brandon opened the front door and went inside before slamming it shut behind him. He tossed his bag somewhere in the living room. He rolled the cuffs of the sleeves of his white dress shirt. His distant eyes paid no attention as he loosened his satin tie before tossing it aside as well. He went straight to the bedroom. _The same bedroom that he and Stella now shared._

But remembering the blonde this time brought no smile to his handsome face. In fact, he nearly died out of guilt at the mere thought of her. He opened his walk-in closet. Approaching the last rack, he stopped. He crouched and sat in that position for a long moment, debating on whether to proceed or not.

His eyes clouding over in pain, he bent forward and pulled out a small box that was hidden and concealed for years underneath the racks of clothes. Even Stella didn't know about it. _She doesn't even know Sky's name,_ he snorted. He picked it up and stood up. A tear fell down his cheek and gently splattered on top of the black box. He hadn't seen or touched it in years. It looked a little stuffy, but...putting all of that aside, it was a proof of his bleeding heart.

With shaking fingers, he opened it. He was instantly greeted with a shimmering diamond ring that he once brought. "Sky..." he whispered heart-brokenly as he fell to his knees. He sat against the wall as his heart started to numb with the torment.

 _"Brandon! Where do you think you're going?!" Heather cried, begging the steaming brunette not to leave the household._

 _"I'm moving out," he growled angrily. One more minute and he'll burn this house down with his father inside of it and happily go to jail._

 _Heather gasped. "What?! Why?! Sweetheart, tell me what's wrong!" she yelled as she clutched Brandon's arm._

 _Brandon sharply turned around with tears in his eyes. "LET ME F*CKING GO OR I'LL STAB YOUR BASTARD OF A HUSBAND TO DEATH!" he yelled, his deep voice echoing scarily off the walls._

 _Heather suddenly let go as she gaped in shock. She covered her mouth with her hands in pure, never-ending shock and hurt as she stood there gawking. His lips pursed in a straight, firm line as he stood at his clearly hurt and innocent mother. But he didn't care! He was hurt too!_

 _Without another word, he left the home without looking back._

Brandon hit the back of his head with the wall repeatedly at the flashbacks. His heart started to numb in pain as tears sprung greatly to his eyes. For many minutes, he forgot about Stella as the past dragged him back into oblivion once more. He didn't care about the blonde at the moment. He wanted to indulge himself into depression at the betrayal. He was slapped in the face with two betrayals from the very people he loved and held well above his life.

Opening the box, he took the ring out and held it upwards. The ring's splendor still shone. He smiled heart-brokenly and sadly as he gazed at the ring with nothing but love. "What am I doing...?" he whispered as tears fell down his cheeks.

Not many people knew how and why Brandon changed those years. _Especially his mother._ It was as if the devil himself had sucked the life force out of him. He changed overnight into an aggressive, ill-tempered jerk. Only his friends knew the whole backstory of what _really_ happened. Everyone assumed that his breakup with Skylar devastated him and sent him to the brink of insanity. It was true, of course, but it wasn't the only reason.

 _"Dad...?" he whispered in shock as he stood there along with Skylar, gaping in hurt at the scene before them._

Not all of Brandon's friends knew the entire reason, but they knew that Skylar wasn't the only one. Nabu and Helia tried so many times to locate Skylar's whereabouts, but it was as if she fell off the face of the earth. She knew how to hide and thwart any attempts of locating her. Sky, Jay, and the rest of the guys were his biggest support but there was only so much they could do.

He indulged himself into his studies and took up his rightful position as the heir to his parents' company. His work became his life and although it did little to help, it still was a solace.

Brandon sighed as he looked around. He had been living in this house ever since then. He thought that he could forget about Skylar by loading this house with amenities, but boy...he was cruelly wrong. _Fate,_ he laughed hollowly to himself.

His work slowly and painstakingly reminded him that he's still living. _Then Stella came along._ But it wasn't long before she started to resemble him in many ways. Her parents' death devastated the poor girl and...

That was the whole reason he wanted to help her. He knew how much it hurts because he was in the same position as her years ago and even till that day. While Skylar and his father didn't exactly die, they left him. Skylar was never going to return to him...so what's the difference? His father...well, not a day went by where Brandon didn't want to sneak up behind his old man and club him to death.

It was cruel to wish something like that upon your own father, but...his rage replayed the betrayal over and over again. The fury subsided within time, but the bitter anger never really went away.

 _"...Like treating your own father like a piece of disgusting dirt?!"_

He frowned as he remembered Stella's exact words. _The reason behind their breakup._ She said something so out of the blue that it turned him livid to see her so...so _presumptuous._ And so...he hurt her so badly that she left him too.

He loved two women dearly and they both left him. The only difference is...one _came back._

 _Stella..._

He was so wrapped up around her finger that he never had the chance to remember those dark years again.

His phone buzzed all of a sudden and he jerked up in surprise. He put the diamond ring back in its place and shoved the box underneath once again. Coughing slightly to clear his choked voice, he took his phone out.

He frowned when he saw that it was Stella. She usually called him at around seven thirty, but heh. He had been too busy wondering if his ex-flame was a figment of his imagination or not. He picked up the awaiting phone but was unable to say anything. "..."

"Hi!" a cheerful voice exclaimed from the other end.

His teary eyes shone just a bit as he slowly smiled at the beautiful voice. Skylar's voice was bold and sexy while Stella's was soft and melodious.

"Hey, baby," he choked out without putting his emotions on display. Stella can't know about Skylar. She just can't. His sweet ray of sunshine is too precious to him and besides...does it really matter? _It's not like Skylar's in my life again..._ he debated.

"...I called earlier, but I guess you were busy?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah," he whispered as tears rolled down his cheeks. He loosely drew his knees up till his chest and buried his face in between. He held the phone tightly as he strained to hear her voice. He wanted to see her so badly. He wanted to hug her tightly and never let go.

"...Brand? Are you okay?" she asked in worry.

"Yeah," he whispered. _No, I'm not._

"No, you're not. What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

"...Just a busy day at work, that's all," he smiled through his tears. _I miss you so much._

"What's wrong?" she asked again. "You can tell me anything. You know that," she said sweetly.

"I know," he said. "I'm just tired, sunshine." _I want to see you, beautiful._

"Did you have dinner?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did. Just a while ago." _This afternoon._

"Then get some sleep. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked once more. "Are you sick?"

"Sunshine..." he yearned while trying not to let his choked lump do the talking. "I'm fine," he said after a great deal.

She calmed down after he reassured her. "Okay. Um...then get some sleep," she said softly. "I can talk to you in the morning."

"Okay. Good night, Stell," he whispered in agony. _Please don't hang up, baby,_ he thought as salty tears clung to his cheeks.

As if reading his mind, she stayed on line. "...Um...do you regret what we did?" she asked nervously.

His eyes widened and for a moment, he forgot his earlier ordeal. "I...what?" he asked in shock.

"No, it's just that...you're so quiet that I thought maybe...I wasn't that um...good and I..." she stammered.

"Stell, listen to me. I don't regret anything," he told her firmly. He lightly chuckled and smirked. "And believe me...you were _fantastic_ ," he said huskily, making her blush a ton of reds. "So please stop worrying, okay? I literally just came home from work."

"Oh...um okay then. Good night, Brandon," she blushed softly. "Oh and...Brand?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for the album," she said. "I love it."

"I'm glad. Good night, Stell," he lightly smiled while yearning for her to stay. _Please don't go._

But she didn't hear his plea this time. The blonde hung up to 'let him sleep'.

He closed his eyes and tossed his phone angrily somewhere. _Why was fate so cruel?!_ Why did Skylar have to return now?! Why NOW?! He's finally in a place where he's... _happy._ And she returns as if the past five years didn't exist!

All he knew is that...he'll relive the entire episode if she dares to make yet another appearance.

And somewhere in the depths of his heart...

He had a feeling that she'll return.

 _Very soon._

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - The Next Morning - 8:30 AM ~**

"Dr. Shields?"

A knock on the door brought him out of his trance. "Come in," he said dully with no emotion whatsoever.

He lifted his eyes to see Lisa come in. Not really feeling the mood to work today, he picked up an asymmetric, spherical paperweight on his desk and randomly twirled in his hand.

Lisa lifted her face only to giggle a little. "You look like you just drowned in a sea of shit," she started to laugh.

"Gee, thanks," he snapped sarcastically. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"Just a moment of your life, you grumpy elf," Lisa shook her head disapprovingly before making her way over. "These are the list of new employees hired by the applied sciences and technology divisions."

"What do I need this list for?!" he groaned and shoved it away from his hands. "Can't you tell that I'm sulking?!"

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "You're not supposed to admit it to anyone that you're sulking. It's like the rule number one of sulking. Now. Stop sulking and go through the list and their enclosed resumes. We need to present this to the board at the next meeting."

Brandon groaned. "Fine. Whatever."

"That's a good boy," she grinned while giving him a thumbs up before leaving.

He sighed when she left, leaving the office quiet and monotone once again. He eyed the confidential red folder that Lisa gave him and sighed once more. Maybe burying himself in work will get his mind off of things again. Encouraging himself, he loosened up his tie as he picked it and held it in his hands. He rolled the cuffs till his elbows before revolving in the chair for ease of comfort. He scanned his eyes down the list of names before heading over to their resumes.

 _New Employees Hired for the Applied Sciences and Technology Division:_

 _1\. Nex Williams_

 _2\. Roy Smith_

 _3\. Amentia Lake_

 _4\. Nereus Waters_

 _5\. Tressa Bailey_

 _6\. Aurora Goldsmith_

 _7\. Diana Lombard_

 _8\. Skylar Black_

 _9\. Nebula Fay_

 _10\. Morgana Williams_

 _11\. Vanessa Peters-_

Brandon stopped suddenly at the heavy list of names before going back up in shock.

 _8\. Skylar Black_

He jerked up in his seat as he repeatedly perused the name over and over again. He prayed to god that this anomaly is just a big and HUGE coincidence. Frantically, he turned the pages until he approached Skylar's resume. His heart dropped as his eyes widened at the photo. It's her.

So...her being here yesterday and scaring the living daylights out of him was no coincidence. She was hired as the new manager and...she thought she'd pay him a visit. His heart started to beat violently and he was soon engulfed in a state of panic. _What is she doing?!_ he furiously thought as he stood up. His eyes flashed with determination as he slowly started to think of what to do now. Panicking like an idiot won't get him anymore.

"This can't be happening," he whispered breathlessly as he started to pace unstably.

He pressed the intercom button and dialed a familiar extension number. "L-Lisa, can you please s-see me for a moment?!" he shouted into the mike.

"On my way," she said in a concerned urgency.

He raked a hair through his brown mane and clumped his gel-worked hair into fists before letting them messily graze over his forehead. The door opened and his secretary rushed inside with worry. "What's wrong? By my calendar, you didn't miss any appoint-"

Brandon threw the folder her way angrily. "What the hell is that?!" he yelled.

Raising an eyebrow, she picked up the folder which fell at her feet. She didn't flinch nor was affected by his harsh tone in any way. She had been working faithfully for him for awhile now that she's immune to her boss's temper tantrums. "So what's wrong with this picture?" she asked.

"Number eight. Skylar Black," he answered.

"Okay...one moment," Lisa said as she flipped through the resumes. She stopped when she reached the eighth one and read over Skylar's qualifications and skill set. Her eyes widened impressively before she lifted her eyes to meet Brandon's in confusion. "I think you're confused with someone else-"

"What the hell is she doing here?" he asked with a growl.

"She came in like everyone else and was hired. She's the new managing director of the designing division," Lisa pointed out.

"Fire her if you want to keep your job, Lisa! _NOW._ I don't want her anywhere on these premises," Brandon yelled.

She didn't flinch at the empty threat. "What?! Do you have any idea of her qualifications?! She's more than eligible-!"

"I DON'T CARE! Fire her, Lisa!" Brandon yelled while taking a paper weight and hurling it loudly against the wall, making it crash to the wall and shatter against the floor into million pieces. Lisa screamed in panic. She was at least thankful for the extremely soundproof walls, a privilege that the CEO of this company is entitled to. Otherwise, they'd be inviting an unwanted audience.

"Are you insane?! Why!?"

Brandon fell speechless. _Why...?_ Because...

He knew why. Lisa doesn't. She has no clue of his past or his little love affair with Skylar. He hadn't really taken up his position at the company yet, so the world was never interested in intrusively stepping in on his private life. What was he supposed to tell her anyway?!

"Oh hey, can you fire that girl because she's like my ex and I'm shit scared that I'll run into her in the hallway!"

He didn't have a professional reason to fire her. _Clearly._

He breathed unsteadily as he looked out the window, wondering the same question again and again. _Why...?_ Because he's scared. He's scared of betrayal. From her side or... _his own._

* * *

 **~ Somewhere Else - 9:15 AM ~**

"GGGGAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A loud, livid, and angry yell rattled against the desk as a pair of fists pounded against the poor woody desk. Blake Williams, the CEO of Blake Industries, clenched his fists tightly as he let out a stream of feverish yells. His eyes turned a scarlet crimson as he turned savagely. He took his laptop in sheer anger and chucked it hard against the wall in pure rage. Resembling the wild beast that he is, he ignored how the screen cracked and split open in two. What use is it anyway?!

A tall, dark-haired man in his mid twenties entered the room in panic. "DAD!" he cried out in alarm and grabbed his father's arms. "What are you doing?!" he yelled in concern.

Christopher Williams frowned as he made his father sit in the chair. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"I'll get my revenge! I'll make him pay!" Blake growled in agitation. "He dares to insult me!"

"Who? Who're you even talking about?!" Chris asked in alarm.

"That sick son of a bitch! Shields thinks he can do anything! Well I'll prove him wrong!" Blake shrieked indignantly.

"Shields...? As in Brandon Shields?!" Chris asked with wide eyes.

"I won't spare him! He made us lose a deal worth MILLIONS! We could've saved our company!"

"DAD!" Chris yelled, cutting him off. "You need to calm down."

Chris's eyes narrowed at the mere thought of Brandon. They weren't exactly enemies, but they weren't buddies either. They both considered themselves as healthy competition for the other, but...things sort of fell out of balance recently.

Chris left his father to calm down before leaving to fetch him a glass of water. Meanwhile, his thoughts revolved around the brunette. Brandon Shields was a genius but was also a man of his word. Chris knew that much. But then again, Brandon is not someone someone would want as an enemy. That man was just too powerful. He was kind as well and his employees adore him. It earned him the power of loyalty and there's no greater power than faith and trust in the business industry.

 _But if there is a way to defeat him..._ Chris mused with a smirk, liking his flow of thought. He knew for a fact that Brandon Shields cared about one person in particular.

 _His wife._

 _Stella Shields._

Exceptionally beautiful, intelligent, kind, smart, and funny. She's literally the perfect package.

"Here," he said while returning and handing his father a clear glass of water.

But Chris also distinctively remembered the last time he saw her in a club. The couple didn't really look like a couple. He frowned a few moments later at remembering this year's traditional gala that the Shields' Corporations holds every year. The couple was inseparable and he didn't really have a chance to talk to Stella. It was a shame really because he had been looking forward to speak with her again.

He met her maybe once before she texted him that she was leaving for college. He liked Stella. He liked her a lot. For this explicable reason, he chose to overlook the fact that she was married to one of his potential rivals.

And it was all fine and dandy...

till now.

 _Brandon Shields._

Chris frowned. This man beat him both personally and professionally. While Chris didn't really see himself as a home wrecker, he can't let a professional hit like this one slide so easily.

"Dad," Chris suddenly said sternly as his mind started to formulate a plan. Blake looked up with interest.

Chris's eyes narrowed and clouded slightly. "Let _me_ handle Shields. I think I have a plan," he said as a smirk slowly made itself on to his lips, growing with each passing second.

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapter:**_

 _"Watch where you're going, pal!" Skylar snapped as she smoothed out her dress._

 _"My apologies, miss," he smiled apologetically as he picked up her book. "I'm sorry again, Miss..."_

 _"Skylar. Skylar Black," she said._

 _"I'm Christopher Williams," he smiled as he offered her his hand to shake._

 _..._

 _"CHRIS?!" the blonde squealed in shock and delight. "What are you doing here?!"_

 _"I was passing by and thought I'd stop and say hello to a friend," he grinned._

* * *

VERY short chapter, I know!

But...I hope you guys enjoyed it anyway :)! Thank you for reading :)!


	28. Surprise Visit

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 _ **10-12 days later...**_

 **~ Starbucks Coffee, New Jersey - 7:30 PM ~**

Stella sat alone in her favorite coffee shop, feeling a little dejected. A deep frown was etched onto her face as she twirled the straw in her latte absentmindedly. She bit her lip as she occasionally looked over at her phone. She expectantly waited for it to ring at any moment, but to her surprise, it never came. Usually, Brandon called her on time and pretty much after work. But...he never called her on his own accord for the past two weeks.

Maybe she was being too clingy and desperate, but she didn't care. She loved him and wanting a phone call from him was only natural of her. Stella sighed. If he didn't call within eight, then she'd be the one ringing him nonstop until he picked it up. That's the case these days. He's been picking up the phone after a dozen rings, which _again_ was very odd. Brandon usually picked it up in the first or at the latest, by the third ring. Either that or he'd cut the call immediately and text her that he's busy and will call her later.

And to her obvious notice, he has done neither of those lately. She couldn't help but recall the last time she spoke so freely to him. And it was also the first time he's been like this. When he returned to New York...he seemed fine.

But the day after that, he told her that he was really tired and exhausted. She wished she could believe it, but something told her that that wasn't the case.

Fear loomed in the pits of her heart as she formulated the possible reasons. _Why?_ Why was he suddenly acting like this? So withdrawn and...

He was pushing her away. The phone calls after that barely consisted of a minute. They usually hogged the lines for hours but she could barely get some quality time with him for a MINUTE. ONE MINUTE. One minute was all she got. And today, she didn't get that minute either. _Sigh..._

She didn't understand why he was pushing her away. Stella sighed again and looked out the window. Her eyes softened when she saw the light drizzle of flurries of snow. It was still early February.

The only thing significant in this month was that... _Brandon's birthday is in a few weeks._

Two weeks to be exact.

But Stella found herself unable to focus on getting him a meaningful present. Instead...she sipped on her hot coffee as she tried to come up with reasons as to why he may be avoiding her. She could only get one. _The night when they made love._ What other reason could there be?

Stella's eyes blinked back hurt and worry as she bit her lip. She was probably...horrible. She probably didn't live up to his expectations. Tears of humiliation clouded her sight. He probably regretted everything that has happened since then. Or wait...maybe he's breaking it off with her?

"No way! That's just crazy!" she whispered frantically to herself, not even wanting to entertain such a theory. Yeah, that was just too delusional.

Stella sighed for the umpteeth time today. She longed to talk to him. She's pretty worried about him. His low voice and barely existent phone calls since the past ten days were reasons for her to be rightfully upset. _Is this really what love feels like?_ she wondered in awe. Her entire being craved for him and it had only intensified since the day he left.

A rosy blush bloomed on her cheeks as she continued imagining herself with him. "What the heck am I thinking?" she blushed stupendously. _But then again..._ there was no harm to it. She giggled to herself. Of course there wasn't. He was, after all, her husband. She was allowed to engage herself with him in any way she chose to.

 _Maybe...maybe I should go see him...?_ she thought to herself as a smile slowly widened onto her lips. She eyed the watch on her wrist.

 _Nearly eight._

 _Plenty of time to make it home safe and sound,_ Stella bit her lip in excitement as she grabbed her keys that jingled to her excitement.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 9:30 PM ~**

Brandon groaned as he lay on the couch of his office, feeling completely wasted and useless. He felt numb and utterly worthless as guilt ate away little bits of his being each day. His eyes glistened as he struggled to breathe. He really didn't know why he was keeping this a secret from Stella.

It's been a full ten days since Skylar was employed. She taunted him each day with short skirts and seductive grins, fully understanding of how it was affecting him.

She sort of understood his widened eyes and continous staring the wrong way actually. He wasn't tempted by her. No, not really. He wasn't that big of a douchebag yet. He had admit that she really did grow up beautifully. But...seeing her roam around like that affected him so painfully because it reminded him each minute of his relationship with her.

And...

The fact that he kept so much of his life hidden away from Stella killed him. He was barely able to eat or sleep the past few days, let alone pick up his cell and call her.

Skylar was more than his first love. He loved her truly with all of his soul only for her to throw them away with a tearful goodbye. And now she's back to win him over, apparently. "As if I don't have enough crazy going on already," he muttered dryly. He didn't feel like going home either.

He just didn't have it in him to do anything lately. He closed his eyes, trying to relax. He opened them again in a flash when a certain blonde woman clouded his senses.

"Ugh," he groaned while sitting up. He stood up and tiredly raked a hand through his shaggy and messy mane. Opening his eyes...he'd see Skylar. Closing them...he'd see Stella.

"Exactly HOW am I supposed to live with such complicated women in my life?!" he yelled while clenching his fists.

A dull knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Slightly straightening himself up and his touseled shirt, he went and opened the door only to reveal a very tired and wiped Lisa.

"Brandon, I think I'm gonna start begging you. Dude, you need to go home," she whined and punched his shoulder.

"Why can't you go?! Here, you're fired for the day. Run along now," he snapped and looked just about ready to slam the door in her face again.

"Nice try," Lisa yawned. "But I can't leave until you do. It's kind of the unspoken ethical rule of a CEO and his secretary," she said. "It's a weekend and you need your rest as well. Go home."

Brandon sighed. "You're right. Sorry, Lisa. I'm leaving, so you can call it a night as well."

Lisa smiled tiredly in relief. "Thanks. Good night."

He simply smiled and nodded as he moved to grab his stuff. Who knows? Maybe going home will rejuvenate him. Lord knows it's been days since he looked like himself.

* * *

 **~ New York - 10:15 PM ~**

Stella's face literally glowed as she approached the very familiar residence. This was fun. Sneaking up on your favorite person...

Just thinking about that sent tender chills till Stella's toes.

The drive wasn't too long, thankfully. She manually locked the car instead of the automatic locking system on her keys, a way to make less noise. She didn't even need to bring her luggage since she had many of her clothes here.

Stepping out, Stella gasped as she felt a violent shiver slither down her spine. A cold breeze ruffled through her hair as snow gracefully fell against the padded white grass. Of course, what else did she expect on a wintry February night?

Stella's toes curled in excitement when she saw Brandon's slick black Mercedes parked in the garage. She blushed because she couldn't really believe that she's here! And that too, only after a good two weeks of seeing him!

Stella hugged herself and pulled on her jacket a little tightly before sprinting across the white lawn. She could feel the hardening snow scrunching under her sneakers as she moved. She climbed up the stairs in relief and wiped her face off the little snowflakes that clung to her hair and face. Her nose were a ruby red as she placed her palms on either side of her face to warm herself up.

Smoothening herself, she took a deep breath before facing the door. A fist raised itself to knock but then stopped at the last moment. Stella bit her lip. Smiling, she took out the extra house key she had.

Laughing to herself, she took out her bunch of keys. She slowly inserted into the lock before it clicked softly. "Bulls eyeeee!" she whispered to herself.

Shivering, she stepped inside before closing the door shut behind her. She took off her jacket and her shoes. She hung the jacket on the coat rack. Stella scratched her head in confusion, wondering where Brandon was. Sure, she was silent while entering. But she's not that silent as to not make a peep while opening and closing the front door!

"Hmm."

Skipping, she moved past the living room instantly hopped upstairs, taking two at a time. She instantly scurried towards their bedroom before excitedly looking around. Her smile fell short and turned into confusion when she didn't see him in sight.

"Really?!" she murmured dejectedly.

Stella's eyes suddenly darted towards the bathroom where she heard the shower running. "Ohhhhhhh..." she face palmed. "He's showering," she grinned evilly.

Her evil little grin fell short when the shower tap was turned off. She pouted and crossed her arms disappointedly. She wanted to join him! _Not fair..._ she blushed.

She could hear him shuffling inside. He's getting dressed! With that evil little grin on her face again, she slowly tiptoed to the bathroom without making a single sound.

On the other side of the bathroom, Brandon sighed a little before putting on a comfortable pair of sweats and t-shirt. He took his towel and slowly ruffled it through his wet hair. He closed his eyes in peace as he calmly took deep breaths. Today was an exceptionally long day.

A loud bang interrupted his much deserving tranquility as the door flung open wildly. His eyes widened to the point of popping out of their sockets when he saw a familiar blonde standing in the doorway.

"What the?!" he jumped a little as he gripped the counter, clearly startled.

"Brandon! Hiiiii!" Stella yelled happily while racing over to him.

He looked bewildered and wondered if this was his imagination. Surely, she can't be here. No way.

It's official.

Yup, he's so far gone that he's now hallucinating. Yup. He's officially delusional. He stood there gaping at her unblinkingly, almost as if he's afraid that she'll leave if he blinked.

But, she felt very much real as Stella instantly crashed into his chest. He stumbled backwards as she hugged him tightly. "Hellloooooooooo!" she sang happily into his shirt.

He blinked, still not believing that his ray of sunshine was actually _here._ He raised his hand up and slowly pinched her cheek, leaving her to pout. "Okay, okay, I'll knock the door next time," she huffed.

His eyes widened. She's real! She's here! She's really here! "Stella!" he grinned while tossing his towel aside. He wound his arms around her tightly and buried his face into the crook of her neck. "I can't believe you're here!" he whispered in disbelief.

A wide grin spread itself onto his face as he suddenly picked Stella up . The blonde squealed as he held her up bridal style. "What the hell are you doing here?!" he grinned widely, not complaining one bit.

He walked towards their bed before throwing her on the mattress, leaving her to yelp. Laughing, he climbed on top of her. "Because of you!" Stella snapped. "I thought something happened between us because of your jackass attitude all week."

Listening to her speak, he couldn't help the soft melody that reached into his ears. He continued to watch her lips move. They were so soft and so inviting that he couldn't care less about what she was saying now. He swooped down and interrupted her angry rant (he can worry about that later). He kissed her over and over feverishly and with an urgency that sent electricity shooting off his body to hers. He zoned out every other noise in the house, wanting to forget everything.

 _EVERYTHING._ The last two weeks have been nothing short of a nightmare. But not anymore. He refused to let anything other than his sunshine invade his thoughts tonight.

After a few moments, he was pushed away by her. "B-Brandon, mmm wait!" she pushed him away unwillingly. His eyes darkened as he growled unappreciatively. "WHAT?!" he asked her impatiently as his hands slowly started to roam on her body.

"...Are things okay between us?" she suddenly asked softly.

His eyes widened slightly as he realized that she has noticed his recent strange behavior as well. He thought he could hide it by talking minimally to her. But being the smart girl she is, she caught on.

He nodded as his fingers momentarily stopped molesting her.

"I keep thinking of why you may be avoiding me...and I can't think of anything other than that night between us. And...the following day too," Stella said in a small voice as she bit her lip. "Is that what it is? If I was horrible or something, can you just say it? Please?" she pleaded.

He silently gazed on at her. How could she be so innocent? How could she so gullible?! How could she, for even one second, doubt herself?!

He clutched her closer as he dragged his lips lazily through her collarbone. "I'll only say this once," he warned. "If I hear those words from you again, you'll have more to lose," he huskily finished, making her cheeks redden furiously at his suggestion. "You're gorgeous, Stell," he breathed against her skin. "You're so beautiful and...I love you, sunshine," he said heartwarmingly, making her swell with happiness.

"Now, can you stop interrupting?!" he glared at her as he recaptured her lips yet once again. His hands quickly found their way to her sweater and impatiently tugged on it.

"Isn't someone a little too impatient?" she teased as she spoke against his lips.

He smirked and pulled back slightly. He took his shirt off and tossed it aside in a split second. "Stella...I've been sexually frustated for two weeks now, so one of us is gonna wake up sore tomorrow," he smirked as he wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her blush. Yeah, it'll probably be her.

He tugged on her sweater a few more times before letting out an impatient growl. Pulling back just enough, he stretched it firmly and Stella gasped as she heard a loud tear shearing through the fabric. "Damn it, Shields! I'll need a new wardrobe at this rate!" she moaned as he squeezed her bare waist. He smirked, "I have a better idea. Save my money and don't wear any at all."

Stella simply rolled her eyes and responded by tightly crashing her lips against his. He fumbled aggressively with her jeans before pulling them away and throwing them aside. She groaned his name out loudly when his fingers hovered near her core. His eyes widened a tad in a pleasant surprise; he found that she was already ready for him. "I didn't realize you were so anxious," he whispered. "You're not the only one who's been sexually frustrated," she retorted. He let out a deep chuckle in her ear as he kissed her exposed shoulders.

It wasn't long before the rest of their clothes were discarded messily around the lavish room.

Brandon couldn't believe his luck. Just an hour ago, he was moping and groaning like a dead meat. But a surprise visit from her took all his tensions away in one flurry moment. And he was determined to make that last for as long as possible.

He gazed at her hungrily, his eyes devouring her beauty just as they did endlessly that night. His hands moved down as he tightly gripped her bare waist tightly while his lips remained firmly against hers. All he would be hearing from her tonight were her ragged breaths of pleasure and shuddering moans of bliss.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 8:00 AM ~**

A low buzz of a phone vibrating made Brandon's ear twitch lightly. He opened his eyes as a small grunt escaped his sleep-filled lips. He breathed calmly before stretching lightly. Yawning, he rubbed his eyes with his hand. He reached over to his nightstand and stopped the alarm from ringing any further.

He moved to get up only to freeze suddenly when he remembered that he received a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful surprise last night. His eyes travelled down as he gazed softly at a certain blonde who laid her head on top of his chest. He gently set her aside before covering her fully. He held a side of her face with her one hand before gazing at her for a long moment. Leaning in, he placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

He chuckled as he got up, feeling a little refreshed. She won't be up any time soon given the way they were going at each other last night. Laughing in amusement, he made his way to the bathroom. They were up pretty late last night. By his estimate...they were going at it for _hours_ before she collapsed and lost consciousness afterwards.

He stepped into the shower many minutes later. As he stood there under the pouring hot water, he pondered over yesterday with a small frown. While he did love Stella coming back to him, he wished that she had stayed there. The unsettling cloud that left him disturbed for days returned yet again. He pursed his lips into a straight line as the same amount of guilt hit him.

Why can't he just tell Stella?

He sighed, knowing why it was so hard for him. Skylar wasn't some typical college fling for him. She was worth way more than that. He was in love with her since early high school. They started dating sometime in college, however. She was his best friend at one point and he couldn't stand to think that she's not hogging that position anymore. He closed his eyes. It was a very sensitive and touchy matter for him.

Despite all of that, he wanted Sky back in his life. But...he sort of had no idea how to keep his previous affair with her private and sealed from Stella. It's not that he didn't want Stella to know...

It's just that...he thought that she'll be better off not knowing.

...

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 10:45 AM ~**

Stella moaned softly and almost inaudibly as she turned over in her sleep. She clutched the sheets tighter around her but her hands could barely grip the fabric. She slowly opened her eyes only to see that Brandon was nowhere in sight. She let out a small sigh, guessing that he probably went to work.

She slowly got up and murmured when her body suddenly felt so heavy. Smiling to herself at the thought of last night's _eventful_ activities, she slowly brushed her hair with her fingers to smooth it a little bit. She made her way to the bathroom to clean up after herself and hopefully get something to eat.

* * *

 _ **A little while later...**_

 **~ 11:15 AM ~**

Stella dully walked out of the shower with a fresh, sleeveless, sky blue nightgown on. She didn't have the slightest energy to walk, much less get dressed. She sleepily walked towards the living room and sat on the sofa. "Brandon was definitely right about waking up sore," she mused as she rubbed her hands up and down her thighs. She pushed her legs together. Opening them the slightest bit is starting to seriously ache.

Stella's stomach started to growl relentlessly. "Nope, I'm not cooking," she yawned as she arched her head back. Her eyes brightened up instantly when she thought of ordering from one of her favorite restaurants.

"Pizzzzaaaaaa!" she sang happily. "Honestly, whoever invented door delivery deserves a Nobel Prize," she grinned as she googled and dialed the number for _Pizza Hut_.

"Hello?" she answered after letting it ring for a few times.

"Yes, I would like to order an extra large vegetable pizza and hot chicken wings...oh and have it delivered to the address," she said as she gave him her address and also an alternative phone number.

 _"That'll be forty minutes, ma'am."_

"Sure. Thank you."

And with that, Stella sleepily placed her phone on the table before falling back on the warm cushion. "I'm gonna take a little nap meanwhile," she mumbled herself to sleep as her eyelids instantly shut close.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 12:00 PM ~**

"...This is our last month's statistics on the progress made by the applied sciences division," Brandon Shields pointed towards the projector as he presented the results in front of the board of directors.

He had been in a meeting for the past few hours now and to his delight and surprise, it was actually going pretty well. He didn't really have prior appointments today, but he had been acting like a total douchebag the last two weeks. So, he made it a point to redeem himself of the lost self-respect.

"Dr. Shields, if I may?" one of them raised a hand.

"Yes, of course," Brandon smiled.

"Why did you suddenly hire a list of new employees? Wouldn't that be detrimental to the ongoing projects?"

"I assure you, ambassadors. Only two of those hired are assigned as managers. The rest of them are sent to training. I assure you that the security and confidentiality of the projects going on inside of this building are well protected and preserved until I personally give further notice."

Almost everyone nodded in approval and Brandon had to let out a sigh of relief. A few minutes of debate and discussion later, claps filled the room.

"Thank you," he smiled as the lights switched back on.

He adjusted his black suit jacket slightly when Lisa rushed to his side. "You've had two missed calls from this number," she whispered as she gave him his phone.

"What?" he asked in confusion as he unlocked the screen only to see two calls from an unknown number. Dialing the person back, he waited until they picked up.

 _"Your order is ready."_

"Excuse me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, making Lisa look at him questioningly. He shook his head with a reassuring smile before moving out of the conference hall and heading towards his office.

"Sir, your pizza delivery is ready. I've been waiting here for awhile now and no one is at the door."

Brandon's eyes narrowed. "Uh...you have me confused with someone else, buddy. I didn't order anything."

"...no, sir. This was the alternative number. 1800 Lake Drive, isn't it? You called Pizza Hut a while ago."

Brandon's eyes widened in understanding. He chuckled when he realized that Stella must've ordered it. "Okay, you said no one's answering the door?" he asked again.

"No, sir."

Brandon furrowed his eyebrows in concern. Why would Stella order and not open the damn door? "Alright, stay put and I'll be there in a few minutes."

An annoyed sigh came from the other end before the call was cut.

Worried, Brandon went past his office and straight to the elevator.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 12:25 AM ~**

Brandon pulled up the driveway of his home and wasn't too surprised to see a displeased delivery boy. He scrambled out of the car and mouthed an apology to the teen. Taking out a few extra dollar bills, he handed a hefty tip in return for keeping him waiting for so long. The teen thanked him with a great smile before leaving.

Brandon grabbed the food and opened the front door with his other hand. "Stella?" he called out while locking the door behind him. Her car was still here, so she couldn't have gone anywhere. There was no way she'd step out in this cold weather on foot. Even if she had, she'd have texted him.

Concerned, he stepped inside and went into the living room. "Stel-"

He stopped suddenly when he saw her curled up on the couch. His eyes softened as his lips turned into a small smile. He dropped his bag and set the food on the table before going towards her. She looked so calm and angelic in her sleep.

He bent to her level and gingerly brushed a few locks affectionately behind her ear. "I won't leave you," he whispered out of nowhere, sighing as the familiar wall of guilt hit him again. He stroked her cheek gently with his thumb as he watched her sleep. Reached over, he closed his eyes and kissed her cheek softly.

She stirred at the contact and opened her eyes sleepily. Stella gasped when she saw Brandon gazing down at her. "B-Bran...?" she whispered doozily.

"Hey," he smiled. "You okay?"

She yawned. "When did we sleep last night?!" she groaned in agony.

He smirked. "Four."

Stella gasped loudly. "F-F-FOUR?!" she exclaimed with a newfound energy. Feeling that dull wave of fatigue hit her yet again, she whimpered. "No wonder...I'm beat..."

He laughed as he listened to her complain.

"Why are you here?" she asked as she held out her hand for him to take. He stood up and picked her up. He sat down and set her down in his lap before answering her question with an annoying glance. "You made the delivery boy wait for nearly thirty minutes."

Her eyes widened. "Oh...! So he called you?!" she asked.

He nodded.

"For the record, this is your fault!" she retorted while weakly punching his chest. She cuddled up to him and draped her arms around him. "Ahh...this is literally the best pillow I've ever had..." she cooed in bliss, making him chuckle.

"You're really that tired?" he asked with a victorious smirk on his handsome face.

"If it means that you'll take care of me, then I'll be willing to tire myself out everyday," she joked, making him chuckle. "Well...you might just regret giving me that information," he winked as she blushed.

A few moments of silence ensued. Stella couldn't even take the dope grin off her face for a split second. She bit her lip as she wondered the cause and the reason for her happiness. She honestly had never been so happy in her life before. And it's all because of him. "...I want to be with you forever, Brand..." she murmured so softly in his ear as she closed her eyes in pure bliss.

She, however, missed Brandon's face which instantly turned pale and stiff. A confession like that _should_ make him feel elated. And maybe...it would have...

 _Two weeks ago,_ he thought in pain as he watched her get comfortable in his embrace. His eyes clouded over with guilt and torment as he repeated her words over and over again in his mind. _She's better off not knowing,_ he thought as he tried to satiate himself with the reasoning. He knew what's going to happen and that's the problem.

Stella would doubt their relationship because he had been in love with Sky for nearly a decade. Early high school till the time he got married...

Yup, that's a whole decade.

And he hadn't _once_ hinted of this when Stella and he first started dating. She knew that he loved another girl before but he unknowingly gave off the impression that it was an unrequited type of love. Sadly... _no._ It wasn't. It was very much requited. The problem was...it was _too_ requited. If he had admitted all of this in the beginning itself, then maybe...just maybe he wouldn't feel like a criminal today.

 _But no. It's too dangerous,_ he finished. It would haphazard his current relationship with Stella. He loved her like hell and he can't risk losing this woman at any cost. Tears of betrayal clouded his eyes as he held her tightly in a bone-crushing hug. She can't see him break down.

 _She'll hate me if I tell her that I've been hiding something big like this since the very beginning,_ he thought as he let out invisible tears.

"B-Brand?" she whispered into his shirt.

He cleared his throat slightly. He held her close and rocked her gently. "Yes?"

She yawned. "Don't knock me out tonight."

A small smile burst forth onto his lips. "I wouldn't count on it," he smirked.

She blushed and punched his chest. "I'm serious! I have to drive back tomorrow, you know!"

His chuckle turned into a short laugh as he held her tightly against him.

"I'm wrinkling your suit," she frowned as she pushed him slightly away. He tossed a look at her that clearly said that he didn't care. "I care!" she pouted before smirking lightly, "Take it off!" His eyes widened in amusement but he did as she told. She stood up from his lap as he took off his jacket. His eyes never left her body as she stretched with a moan escaping from her lips.

"Where's my pizza?" she bit her lip while looking around. Her eyes lit up when she saw it three feet away on the table. She took a hungry step towards it only to stop when a hand coiled around her wrist.

She blushed when she saw the ravenous look she's receiving from a certain someone. He was dressed in a classy dark navy blue dress shirt with black pants underneath. He smirked and stood up before encasing her in his arms. "Bedroom, now," he growled as his hand gripped her waist tightly.

Stella blushed. "Stop," she said firmly. "I'm hungry," she whined.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll buy you a buffet later," he said while tightening his hold possessively on her.

She looked at him utterly frustrated. "Why do I have to marry someone loaded with sex appeal?!" she muttered in annoyance.

He smirked. "Really now?" Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth.

"Did I just say that out loud?" she asked with wide eyes.

His smirk gave her the answer she wanted, resulting in rosy cheeks afterwards. His lust for her subsided a little when he remembered how much faith she had in him. "Sunshine..." he whispered her nickname as he kissed her temple. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, Stell..." he moaned in agony as he cupped her face. He closed his eyes as he remembered and etched every feature of her into his memory. He'll do anything if he can get her to stay. He'll do anything to keep her protected from his past.

His past was a touchy subject for him and he'd prefer it to be kept in the dark. They weren't exactly the glory years of his youth. If anything, the months he got to spend with Stella were.

Stella looked at him in concern. He seemed to be in pain as he held her close to him. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly as she placed her palms over his. Brandon opened his eyes and gazed into hers. There was only concern and worry for him all over her beautiful face. He forced a small smile. "I just can't wait till you graduate," he admitted as he kissed her forehead. _He really can't._

In fact, he's dreading these next four months so badly. His gut told him that he might lose this battle and...he just didn't know what he'd do if he lost everything. _Again._

She believed his reason and smiled sadly. "Me neither," she said. Her eyes lit up suddenly. "Can we go somewhere...after I graduate?" she bit her lip as she asked hopefully. "Like a vacation...just us? No one else?"

He smiled as his eyes slightly glistened at her request. "Anywhere you want." He'll take her wherever her heart desired as long as she's by his side. She wrapped her arms around his neck and attached her forehead to his. "You better not forget this promise," she warned.

He chuckled and nodded. "I won't. But first, you need to eat."

"Oh! Right!" Stella's eyes widened frantically as she let go of him suddenly and ran in the direction of food. He laughed at her supernatural fetish for food and crossed his arms as he watched her.

His smile slowly faltered as he dreaded going back to work. _Dear God...please let these four months pass by quickly,_ he prayed desperately.

His attention turned back to the oblivious blonde. "What're you looking for?" he asked in amusement as he watched her pace around him frantically. She threw the pillow cushions here and there as her face contorted to one of mild frustration.

"The TV remote!" she whined. "I could've sworn I saw it somewhere around here...ha! Found it!" she sang in jubilance.

Laughing, he simply sat back on the sofa and relaxed while letting her do whatever she wanted to do. He rolled his shoulders slightly and rotated his neck to loosen any stiff muscles. He crossed a leg over the other and spread his arms throughout the couch. Brandon closed his eyes as he threw his head back and breathed.

He felt Stella plop right beside him moments later. "You okay?" she asked while ruffling his hair. He simply hummed in response with closed eyes. His ear twitched a little when the smart TV turned on. Stella instantly opened Netflix and casually browsed through her favorite shows.

"I can't believe the new season started already!" she suddenly exclaimed excitedly, making him slowly and tiredly open his eyes. He saw her beside him with a plate filled with pizza and wings. "You want to eat?" she smiled as she offered him a slice. He simply shook his head with a smile and kissed her temple. Stella nuzzled into him as she happily ate while the TV broadcasted an episode.

Brandon, meanwhile, turned his attention to the girl nested comfortably in his arms. He slowly ran his fingers through her thick hair, not really caring to watch the TV. He held her against him before disturbingly closing his eyes.

The horrible nights he spent by staying up too late, crying, waking up to nightmares, and the inexplicably beautiful nights he spent by indulging himself into Stella finally caught up with him as he felt the full force of exhaustion and fatigue wash over him. His grip on Stella slightly loosened and dropped to her waist as he slowly and painfully dozed off, praying for a dreamless sleep.

 _Had he just stayed up for a few moments...just a few more...then he would have noticed the dark figure who pressed his ear tightly against the window._

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ Shields' Corporations - Skylar Black's Office - 3:00 PM ~**

A young woman in her early twenties sat at her desk as she worked diligently on the task given to her. The pace of her pen movements slowly lessened until it finally came to a halt as she bit her cherry red lip lightly. Her ocean blue eyes blinked back tears as she struggled not to give in to the temptation.

"He said he's happy," she whispered. "How can that be?"

She looked at the work she's been going through so far. She bit her lip tightly as she thought about the man she's been trying to forget these past few years. _Five,_ to be precise. There hasn't been a day where she forgot those warm, loving deep brown eyes. _Not. A. Single. Day._ She thought she could forget him.

Honestly speaking, Skylar never hated herself more than now. She regretted her decision every single day. He's the one man she envisioned herself marrying, having kids, growing old with...

Tears fell down her cheek, smudging her perfectly applied cat eyeliner on the way. "Why did I leave him?!" she tearfully whispered to no one in particular. She paid no heed to the salty tears dripping onto the papers down below. Not only did she left him vulnerable to heartbreak, but she also destroyed the promise she made him by...

Skylar shut her eyes as her lips started to quiver. A loud muffled sob escaped through her tightly shut lips as she laid her head on the desk. She started to freely cry as she saw a picture frame of them together when she was still a teenager. Brandon and her looked so happy in the photo as they smiled for the camera. Her ocean blue eyes back then shone brilliantly as he kissed her cheek from behind. His eyes were on her as his arms were wound tightly around her waist.

Skylar looked away, unable to bear this pain. She tried to muffle her cries as she sobbed into her hands. She knew that this was her fault. He had tried.

He called and emailed her so many times that she lost count. But she didn't care to think about him once. If she had...she would've come back a long time or, rather, never left in the first place. And now...

She can't change _anything!_ He's with some other girl who clearly means the world to him now. Her eyes suddenly blinked with fury at the thought of some _other_ woman in his life. "I won't," she hissed. "I WON'T GIVE YOU TO HER! YOU'RE MINE!" she yelled angrily in an anguished cry.

She grabbed her coat and bag angrily before stomping furiously out of the office.

* * *

 **~ Blake Industries - 5:00 PM ~**

"Come in," a deep voice ordered as a tall figure opened the door and walked surreptiously inside.

"Sir, I have the news you wanted."

Chris smirked as he revolved calmly in his office chair. "Go on."

"The woman is here in New York. I believe she'll head back soon."

Chris smirked and put his hands together on the table. "Perfect..." he whispered. "And what about the other one?"

"I followed her to Intoxication." Intoxication is a famous bar in downtown.

"Keep me posted," Chris ordered.

"Yes, sir." The figure turned to move but was stopped again when his boss spoke.

"And Gantlos..." Chris started as his eyes turned aloof and frigid. "This will the _last_ time you will _ever_ visit me in the public," he snarled unforgivingly.

Gantlos nodded nervously. "Understood."

* * *

 **~ Intoxication, Downtown NY - 6:30 PM ~**

"One more!" a young woman shouted at the bartender. Skylar downed the fourth vodka shot she ordered. She gagged at the burning taste but that didn't stop her from ordering a few more on her tab.

She clutched another glass tightly in her hand as she glared it hatefully. She had been so patient. So, _SO_ patient. He had absolutely NO idea how much it broke her when she learned that he got married. She didn't think he'd move on so fast. But that was only until she had put two and two together to determine that it must've been an arranged marriage. But...

It was no secret that there had been an unspoken rift between the married couple last year. But when she saw them again in the recent gala, her shock knew no bounds as she watched them dance, laugh, and eat as if nothing's ever changed.

She thought that at least...her return would change _something._ She even hiked her skirt a few inches the other day just so he can notice it. He did notice it, but he simply cast her a neutral glare. So she was affecting him. But it wasn't enough.

A tear slipped past her eye as she downed in another shot. Skylar coughed at the acrid taste and sniffled.

She took a deep breath as she put her bag on the counter. She rummaged through her belongings but stopped when her fingers touched a little book. Her oceanic eyes softened slowly as her fingers shakily took it out. It was a purple leather-bind diary that...Brandon had given her on her nineteenth birthday before they broke up. She slowly opened it and saw more than half of the book was empty pages. The first page after the cover was a little picture of them.

Tears slipped her eyes mercilessly as she ran her fingers through the photo as if it were a delicate feather. "Brandon..." she whispered as she cleared her face of tears. "I can't...I'm not going to lose you..."

Just then, she felt a sharp shove from behind and her book slipped from her fingers in shock. She glared as she turned around, angry at whoever it was who dared to interrupt her from her dreaming.

"Watch where you're going, pal!" Skylar snapped as she smoothed out her dress.

A raven-haired, muscular male looked up with a smirk etched into his eyes. In a flash, it was gone and in its place, an apologetic smile entered.

"My apologies, miss," he smiled apologetically as he picked up her book. "I'm sorry again, Miss...?"

Skylar sighed as she took the book. "Skylar. Skylar Black," she said.

"I'm Christopher Williams," he smiled as he offered her his hand to shake. "But you can call me Chris."

Skylar took his hand and shook it slowly with confused eyes. For some reason, his name sounded really familiar. Then it clicked. "You're the son of Blake Williams, aren't you?" she asked with wide eyes.

Chris raised an impressive eyebrow. "I see someone has done their homework early," he remarked.

"What do you mean?" Skylar asked with crossed arms.

Chris smirked slowly. "Ms. Black, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"...How do you know me, Mr. Williams?" Skylar asked with an edge.

"I know a lot of things about you, Skylar. Like, for instance, why you suddenly showed your face in the United States," Chris said.

"...Are you saying you're spying on my life?"

"I'm saying that I have a symbiotic proposition for you. Mutually beneficial for us," Chris stated as his tone turned serious.

Skylar looked at him with narrowed eyes. For the record, he's Brandon's heavy competition. But she seemed to recall that Chris's father and Brandon never got along. So...why should she help this guy?

"What is it?" she asked anyway out of curiosity.

"If you know me, then I'm sure you're aware of the conflicts between our two companies."

"So?"

"I respect your boss for the man he is, but you see...this industry doesn't like such men. I want to see your boss fall. Just the way he made us fall," Chris stated openly.

Skylar's eyes opened wide. "What?!"

"You should be on my side, Skylar. I take it that you two aren't amicable these days."

She crossed her arms and set her red lips into a determined line. Yes, she wanted Brandon, but she's definitely not cruel enough to sabotage him or his company. "How about no? What're you gonna do if I replay this conversation to him right now? I'm not letting you destroy Brandon Shields," Skylar seethed angrily.

Chris smiled. "Not professionally. He's too powerful. Besides, I have no interest in wealth."

Skylar's eyes narrowed in confusion. If it's not power or wealth, then what? "Then what exactly is your interest in?"

Chris leaned in closer as he sat on the barstool. He picked up a full vodka shot and held it between his fingers. "His wife," he stated as he drank it with one whop.

Skylar blinked rapidly as her blue eyes widened. "...His wife?" she stuttered unblinkingly.

"Stella," Chris stated triumphantly as he locked his eyes with Skylar's disbelieving blue ones.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's Home, NY - 8:30 PM ~**

Brandon opened his eyes slowly and rubbed them tiredly. He let out a long sigh and wondered why he woke up. Then he saw his phone buzzing. He groaned as he tried to get up only to notice that Stella was laying against him, playing a game on her phone with earphones plugged in. He looked at their position and shifted slightly. They both lay on the sofa with Brandon underneath and Stella on top of him, facing the ceiling. Brandon removed his hands which were apparently underneath his head.

He raised himself slightly which got Stella's attention. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled out the phone from his pocket. "Hello?" he answered sleepily. A few seconds later, he continued, "No, I'm home. I'll see you tomorrow, Lisa...yeah. Thanks."

He cut the call and placed the phone on the table nearby. Stella shifted in his arms and smiled at him. "Hi," she waved her hand in front of him.

He closed his eyes and yawned a little. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours," she replied. "Seems like you were tired too," Stella smirked as she tapped his nose.

He chuckled at her snarky tone before opening his eyes. "What're you up to?" he asked as he raised himself. Stella got up from him and scooted over to the edge of the sofa. He stood up and stretched.

"Just finished preparing for an upcoming test," Stella replied as she went back to her interrupted game of Temple Run.

He listened before realized that he was still in his formals. He needed a shower pronto. He slowly unbuttoned his shirt cuffs before removing his tie. He hung it loosely over his neck as he made his way to their bedroom. He shook his head when he heard Stella's footsteps follow him. "Did you ever think that maybe you love me too much?" he smirked as she looped an arm around his.

"I can never love you enough," she smiled as she ruffled his hair before letting him go and running up the stairs.

He didn't say anything as he climbed a step at a time. Ever since they...

He sighed deeply before going to their room. He unbuttoned his shirt before grabbing his towel and discarding the rest of his clothes in the laundry. He locked the door behind him and looked at himself in the mirror. He gripped the countertop tightly as he neutrally glanced at himself in the mirror.

Ever since they...

He shut his eyes, trying not to remember that they weren't just at first or second base anymore. Ever since Stella's birthday, her happiness knew no bounds. And she made sure that he saw it. His eyes darted towards the door when he heard something fall on the outside and a series of rampant footsteps all about. He smiled as he shook his head. She probably broke something again. His smile disappeared just as quickly it came.

"Sky..." he closed his eyes at the mere whisper of his ex's name. He can't do this anymore. He just can't. He thought he'd be fine and great with Stella's visit. But no. Instead, it was undoing him. He was starting to remember all the memories he had with Sky.

How can a man love two women at the same time in the same way? It was simply not done.

He needed to put an end to this. He looked towards the door again. Skylar. Stella.

Skylar.

Stella.

Skylar.

Stella.

"This isn't a game of choice!" he hissed as he punched the wall sharply with a closed fist and ignored how it started to bruise.

* * *

 _ **Nearly an hour later...**_

Brandon looked utterly frustrated as he stepped out of the bathroom with wet hair and shirtless. He clutched the towel tighter when he heard Stella downstairs. He sighed and patted his hair with the towel to dry it quicker. After a few minutes, he tossed it in the bin before putting on a shirt and climbing downstairs.

He ignored the noises that came from the foyer and instead went to the living room. He took his laptop and opened it.

Stella entered the living room when she heard Brandon come in. "Oh you're here! FINALLY!" she gushed. "Did you know that you were one of the cutest boys I've ever seen?" she laughed as she came in with a set of photos.

He looked up irritably, not that the blonde noticed. "Where'd you get those?"

"It's called exploring," she smiled as she looked over the pictures.

"Put them back," he sighed as he stood up.

"No way! These are excellent blackmail material," she said. Stella started to laugh when she saw Heather holding a crying five year old Brandon.

"Stella. Put them back," he said in a low voice and with a sharp edge to his tone. The blonde simply laughed and shook her head.

He took a step closer to her and Stella laughed as she jumped back. "Stella, give them back here!" he growled as he pounced on her.

"No!" she laughed as she jumped back just in time and started to run away. Brandon, however, was in no mood for jokes. He didn't want anything or anyone but solitude. "Get back here, Stella!" he snapped angrily as he chased behind her. Stella disappeared into the foyer and moved to close the door behind her. But Brandon stuck his foot in time and forcibly opened the door.

"Oh come on! I've seen your childhood pictures already, remember?! What's the big deal now?" she complained when he approached like a predator waiting to pounce on his prey. For her birthday, he did give her an album with both of their pictures as they grow up.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Because I'm not in the mood for your games. Just give them to me so I can get back to work," he said, trying not to be angry.

She tapped her chin and pretended to be in thought. "How about no?" she smiled playfully. She started to run away again but Brandon caught her. His fingers grabbed her wrist before grabbing her closer. Her back brushed against his solid chest as he tightened his grip on her waist.

"Give them. Now," he said, his frustration sending him to an edge.

"W-Wait," Stella stammered as she wiggled a little.

"Now, Stella!" he yelled as he twisted her arm to get her to work faster.

"B-Brandon, wait! You're h-hurting me-" she winced as she clutched her shoulder.

"Give them to me!" he shouted in rage before shoving her sharply to the side. Stella let out a pained wince when he unintentionally slammed her against the wall. Due to his unmatched strength, her shoulder collided painfully as she let the photos go in shock. She accidentally fell against a decorative vase which fell to the floor and crumbled to pieces.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to control his anger, but it just wasn't going away. He opened his eyes again but was stunned to meet them with Stella's which were laced with hurt and shock.

"Stella?" he asked as he stepped closer but stopped when she took one back. His eyes widened in horror at the broken vase on the floor and the way she clutched her shoulder. "Oh my god...Stella, I'm so, so, so sorry," he said as he rushed to her. She looked at him unblinkingly like he was a total stranger to her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't...I didn't mean to," he apologized with he cupped her face. She silently blinked in response.

"Please say something," he pleaded. "I'm sorry, sunshine. I didn't mean to hurt you-"

"I know," she suddenly interrupted. "What's wrong?"

He fell speechless at her question. Instead, he pulled away slightly and looked at her body. "Are you bleeding?!" he suddenly asked as he looked at the broken vase.

She shook her head. "No. I..."

"Stell, I'm so sorry. I wasn't angry at you. I didn't mean to hurt you. I-"

"It's fine. You didn't hurt me. And I know you're not angry at me," she shrugged.

"So...you're not mad at me? We're okay?" he asked hopefully.

"No and no. I _am_ mad at you and we are _so not_ okay," she said with a sharp look as she pushed him away. She rotated her shoulder a little before rubbing it a little. "Either you tell me what's actually bothering you or we're done talking."

He blinked at her response.

"Yeah, don't think that I haven't noticed your jackass attitude ever since you left New Jersey," Stella snarled. With a huff, she paced out of the room angrily, leaving him to stand there speechless. She slammed the door shut on her way out.

Brandon blinked back tears as he fell to his knees, horrified at what he had just done. He...he actually had hurt Stella. He just...

All he knew in the moment was that he felt an unsuppressable and unquenchable amount of rage building up inside of him. It had been building up ever since the day Skylar decided to show her face to him once again. And he exploded. He exploded. And right now, knowing Stella, he was pretty sure that she was sulking somewhere. Or if he's really unlucky, she's ready for an early departure to Princeton.

And he's not ready to share this issue with her. Nonetheless, his feet moved many minutes later. He wished he was a statue or something because his feelings made him feel like a bottled mess.

"Stella!" he called out as he skipped around the pieces of the vase. "Stell!" he called out again and barged right out of the room. His silence had too many consequences at stake. And he isn't prepared to play the dice.

His eyes narrowed when he heard voices and music in the living room. As he reached there, his eyes widened to see her comfortably curled up on the sofa, watching some show on the TV. _Is she...is she serious?!_ he thought incredulously.

He strolled over there and to his not-so-much surprise, she didn't even cast a glance his way. "Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he said while flopping next to her. He reached to wrap an arm around her when she immediately pulled away and stood up.

She looked at him and smiled sweetly at him. "Did I mention that no talking means no touching?"

"What?! Are you serious?" he asked with his eyes wide open. "I can't do that!"

She merely shrugged and started to walk away from him again.

"Stella, come on. It was an accident and I said I'm sorry!" Brandon pleaded as he reached to follow her again. "Come on, don't hate me!"

"Then don't talk to me," Stella remarked.

"B-But I have to talk to you!"

"Then I have to hate you," she retorted right on cue.

"Stel, I'm sorry-"

Stella stopped in her tracks abruptly and turned around. "I know it's an accident and I know you didn't mean to do it."

"Then what the hell are you mad at me for?!" Brandon asked in exasperation.

Stella looked at him like he was an idiot. How many times is she supposed to repeat herself again? "You're losing your mind, aren't you? Well, how about this? You tell me what's actually bothering you and we go back to normal."

"It's noth-"

She cast him a sharp look."And don't lie that it's nothing. I don't see you as a person who would bite someone's head off just for the heck of it. Unless you're the A-class jerk from when I initially met you."

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "You're seriously bringing that up?"

Stella rolled her eyes. "Well, it's kind of the truth anyway."

"Brandon. I'm leaving tomorrow. Whether or not you want me to come back...that's totally up to you," she continued.

"W-What?" he asked as he looked up with a sharp glance.

She sighed. "Do you know why we're together? We both made mistakes. Do you know why we forgave each other so easily? Even after one year of no communication?"

Brandon remained silent.

"It's because there was never an issue about mistrust. And now there is. You don't trust me," Stella said with seriousness in her eyes.

"I do-" he started but was cut off again.

"Not enough," she stated firmly. And seeing his silence, she knew she won this argument. If last year's argument had been about anything else other than cursing and saying the wrong things at the wrong time, then Stella didn't know if she could forgive him so easily. But there was never any accusation regarding trust and loyalty. So, their breakup had always remained temporary.

"Yeah...I thought so," she finally said after finding him silent for many moments. "I'm heading to sleep." Stella sighed as she turned around but stopped when Brandon grasped her wrist.

"Stell, don't. I promise, I'm not cheating on you or anything like that," he stated quickly.

"Then why won't you talk to me?" Stella looked at him with hurt. He simply stared at her, knacking a good response. Apparently, his prolonging silence was taken the wrong way. "Or am I only good enough for sex?" she asked with tears erupting in her eyes.

Brandon's eyes widened at her wild accusation as he instantly rushed towards her and cupped her face. "Don't you ever say that to me. _EVER_ ," he growled protectively. "You know that you're worth so much more to me than that."

"Really?" she said disbelievingly, earning a swift and concerned nod from him. "Because other than having sex, we haven't had a normal conversation since I got here last night. I don't just want to be good enough for bed, okay? I want to be a shoulder that you can lean on. But how can I do that when you won't let me?!" Stella sniffled as she pushed him away again.

Brandon watched with pained eyes as she walked away. _What the hell am I doing?!_ But he knew the reason why he wasn't able to talk to her. Looking at her...he felt like he's betraying her. He wanted to handle the issue Skylar by himself.

He can point the blame too. He can point fingers too. For instance, Stella never told him that Jason came back. She didn't tell him about their encounters in Princeton. He was the one who had to find out everything on his own. So who was she now to tell him that he's lying to her?

He's not lying. He's just managing...with a _fib._

But that didn't mean that seeing her upset was okay with him. With pained eyes, he followed her into the kitchen where she was drinking water. Her back was to him but she immediately stiffened when he entered inside.

Sighing, he went over and instantly engulfed her in his arms, her back smoldering against his chest. He was just thankful that she didn't resist nor squirm at the contact. He kissed her softly on the cheek. "Please don't be upset, Stel. You're precious to me," he stated sincerely.

"No, I'm not," she retorted childishly.

"Yes, you are," he stated firmly, cutting her off. "Just...just know that I'm not cheating on you with anyone."

"I never said that," Stella sighed.

"You didn't have to," he stated. "I can tell you're afraid."

Stella loosened up slightly and sighed. She shifted around in his arms so that she faced him. "Not afraid. Angry. And why won't I be? We're a couple. We live together, Brandon. I shouldn't have to beg you to talk to me," Stella said as she started to raise her voice again.

She continued. "You barely answer my calls anymore. You barely have the time to tell me that you're busy. I deserve that much, at least. I can understand that, _all of that_...if you let me."

He sighed and looked away from her pleading eyes. "It's not related to you. So there's no reason for me to tell you about it," he said quietly, hoping she'll drop it.

And the hurt that Stella felt at that knew no bounds. She felt angry and hurt and nearly senseless at his comment. Is that all he ever understood from her? A lump formed in her throat once again.

She freed herself from his hold and moved away from him. She stopped at the doorway before cocking her head to the side. "You know..." she started with a choked throat, earning his attention once again. He looked at her almost neutrally.

"You might as well be cheating on me. It wouldn't have hurt any less," she said in a dying whisper before disappearing along the corner.

When he saw her disappear just like that, he knew that it was only a matter of time before she left as well. And for some reason, his feet didn't move anymore. He just...he felt hollow on the inside. He felt like something died inside of him. And he didn't know how and _if_ he could fix it this time.

* * *

 _ **A few minutes later...**_

Brandon tried again to comfort Stella within the walls of their bedroom. But this time, his coaxing failed to work like it normally did.

"Stell...please," he tried again helplessly with a frown. She turned away from him and shut her eyes close. She ignored his hold around her, knowing she'll melt any time soon.

"Don't be mad at me, sunshine. Please," he begged.

Stella pushed down a choked lump as his voice reverberated in her ear. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't be," she said softly. She didn't want to be mad at him. She didn't want to fight with him. That's not why she's here. "You obviously don't want me here. I just...I just want to know why," Stella asked with hurt.

Brandon's eyes widened as he tightened his hold on her waist. "What?! I never said that. You know that I love having you here with me," he told her sincerely.

"Then why do you keep pushing me away? It makes me feel worthless and unwanted, Brandon," Stella sniffled.

Hearing her suppressing a muffled cry, he knew that he just couldn't take this torture anymore. He grabbed her waist tightly and turned her towards him, eliciting a surprised gasp from her lips. "I'll only say this once," he told her seriously. "I'm not pushing you away and you're not worthless and unwanted."

He continued with an angry glint in his eye. "And you sure as hell are worth more to me than a concubine," he snapped with a growl. His eyes softened at the hurt being reflected in her eyes. "Give me time. Please," he tried again with desperation in his tone. "I'll tell you in due time."

Stella looked away silently but he wasn't having it. He grasped her chin and turned it towards him possessively. There was still doubt and that lonely insecurity on her face. "You're the biggest jerk I've ever seen," she suddenly blurted bluntly. "And I've never hated anyone more than you right now," she retorted stubbornly with a small pout.

Brandon chuckled, knowing he appeased her. _For now._ He engulfed her in his arms tightly and kissed her forehead. "Don't threaten to run away from me again," he breathed in a pleading whisper. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he said as his eyes glistened. He didn't know if he'll ever tell her about Skylar.

He just this irrepressible feeling of dread that something was going to go horribly wrong if these two women ever crossed paths.

* * *

 _ **A week later...**_

 **~ Princeton University - 4:00 PM ~**

Stella walked through the campus, feeling a little uneasy.

"Alright, shoot. What's wrong?" Bloom skipped from beside her.

Stella sighed as she looked over at the redhead. "What gave it away?" she dully replied.

"Oh, gee. I don't know. Maybe the sulking, spontaneous snapping, and worst of all: you're wearing a tacky outfit," Bloom sarcastically replied.

Stella looked at herself and shook at her head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"If Sky kept something from you...would you be okay with it?" Stella asked with a frown.

Bloom remained silent for a moment. "Would you? I wouldn't be. I love Sky. I trust him. But if he keeps something from me, then it means that he doesn't trust me enough to share it. And I can't be with someone like that."

Stella's eyes widened. "Seriously? You'd break up with Sky? Even though you love him?"

Bloom sighed. "I'm a horrible person for saying this, Stell...I don't know. I think I deserve better than to be lied to."

The blonde remained silent as she pondered over Bloom's words.

"Why? What's wrong with you and Brandon now? You guys ready for another breakup?" the redhead joked.

Stella instantly glared at the redhead. "Don't ever joke about that, Bloom. You know how devastated I was," the blonde snapped.

"I know. All the more reason for you to talk to your man," Bloom said seriously. "It's barely been two months since you got together and you already have problems. You should try talking again."

Stella slowly nodded. "Thanks."

Bloom smiled and patted her shoulder. "Anytime. I have to head to class. Will you be okay?"

Stella nodded. "Yeah, go. I'll head back to the dorm." Bloom tossed her a smile before heading off on her own way.

 _Try talking._ She should probably do that again. She hated fighting with Brandon. Even though he said she didn't have anything to worry about, she had this instinctive feeling of dread. She felt like she did have something big to worry about.

 _"Call me when you reach, okay?" Brandon told her while letting her hug him. He placed his chin on top of her head, feeling as if a part of him was leaving too._

 _Stella nodded and looked up at him. "For the record, the only reason why I didn't ask is because I hate it when we fight. Especially how things turned out the last time we fought," she said with an edge to her tone. Brandon sighed as he stared down at her._

And that's how she left. Things didn't exactly fall in place. They barely talked over the phone. Conversations trailed off and turned awkward. Brandon barely let a word budge from his mouth and Stella had to do everything in her power to not drive up there and demand an explanation. "What are you hiding from me...?" she whispered to no one in particular, not really paying attention to her surroundings.

Stella gasped and let out a small yelp when she collided against something hard. Her heel tripped as she felt herself falling backwards. Before she could fall on her face, two strong arms gently wrapped themselves around her, pulling her up.

Stella pushed her hair out of her face and gasped. Her eyes widened greatly as she saw the man standing before her.

"Ha! Just the one I'm hoping to find. You alright?"

"CHRIS?!" the blonde squealed in shock and delight. "My goodness, what are you doing here?!"

"I was passing by and thought I'd stop and say hello to a friend," he grinned.

Stella gave him a small hug. "Well, it's really great to see you."

"You okay? You seemed upset earlier?" Chris asked with concern.

The blonde sighed and shook her head. "I'm fine. Just a headache, that's all."

"How about coffee on me? Are you free now?" he smiled charmingly.

Stella bit her lip and pondered for a moment. "Sure. Why not?"

Chris grinned and smirked mentally with victory. He gave her his hand which she accepted with a smile.

 _Just you wait, Shields,_ he smirked to himself. _Won't be long now._

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 3:30 PM ~**

"Come in," Brandon dully replied as he didn't even bother to check his phone. He sipped his caffeine slowly as the door turned. He didn't even bother to look up as he read some file before him and scribbled something seriously. His eyebrows furrowed together as he turned over a page.

"You seem rather busy," a seductively bold voice spoke. Brandon froze instantly as he looked up from his seat. His eyes turned cold and unforgiving immediately as they narrowed into an angry glare.

"Get out, Skylar," he snapped as he stood up.

"You always did look hot in formals," she smirked as she took a few steps towards his desk.

Brandon rolled his eyes. "Cut the crap. What're you even doing here? The hell do you want? Why are you here?!" he fired away.

She laughed softly. "Well, isn't someone a little full of questions today?"

The brunette crossed his arms as his eyes fumed with fury.

"I want to make things right with you," she started out with a smile.

"Too late," he cut her off firmly. Skylar felt a sharp sting prick her heart, but she ignored the hurt.

"Why won't you give me a chance?" she asked softly. "I know you still lo-"

"Don't you dare finish that," Brandon interrupted as he pointed an accusing finger at her. "I did give you a chance. Every day for three whole years. Did you really think that I won't find someone else?"

"Yes! Yes, I did think so! Because you promised me a forever!" Skylar accused.

"You did too. At least I kept my promise. At least I have the guts to call you every damn hour even after our breakup!"

"A breakup which was your family's fault!" Skylar retorted again. She instantly regretted her tone when he looked as if he's been slapped. It was in no way his fault. She knew in the back of her mind that it was her fault all along. He's right. She didn't have the guts to look back. Skylar laughed hollowly. "I randomly check on you one day and I see you fooling around with some blonde bimbo."

"I'm not fooling around, Sky, and that blonde is not a bimbo and she has a name. I love her and you can't change that," Brandon said firmly. "If you think that I'll leave her because of you, you've never been so wrong."

"Really? Then prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"If there's nothing I can do to make you come back to me, then the least you can offer me is your friendship," Skylar said.

He raised an eyebrow. "The hell?"

"We can be friends, can't we?" Skylar smirked.

Brandon looked at her, unable to find his voice. "What are you trying to do?" he asked in a choked voice.

"What? You don't trust your relationship if we're friends?" Skylar smirked as she provoked him.

Brandon fell speechless as she pierced through his soul with her gaze.

* * *

 _ **Previews for the upcoming chapters:**_

 _"Happy birthday, bro!" Flora squealed as she hugged her brother tightly. Brandon smiled and hugged her back. His eyes involuntarily scanned the crowd for a certain blonde, but froze suddenly when they met with piercing blue ones._

 _..._

 _"I do," Flora beamed as she smiled at her new husband. "I love you, Helia."_

 _..._

 _She sniffled and dabbed her eyes as she gazed longingly at the laughing brunette many meters away. Doesn't he care anymore?_

 _"You alright?" Chris gently touched her shoulder._

 _"Can you take me away from here? Please."_

 _..._

 _"There's no 'we' anymore. We're done."_

* * *

 **I know I said there's gonna be like 30 chapters at the max, but I think I'll need a few more. The story's gonna end at probably like...34th or 35th chapter,** _ **if**_ **the chapter length is a little short. I'll try to publish longer chapters and end the fic before that if I can! And the previews are literally for the rest of the story, instead of just the next chapter.**

 **Thank you for reading and please let me know what you thought!**


	29. Headlines

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _Hey, guysssss! :)_ Well, this is _third_ time of me rewriting this chapter, so let's hope it's the final draft xD So far, this chapter has been deleted, modified, and changed like a gazillion times so far. Basically, this poor chapter 29 has been in an abusive relationship with me for about four months now.

Therefore, I recommend reading or brushing up on the previous chapter? I totally forgot what chapter 28 was about and I had to go back and reread everything xD. But, of course, it's up to you :)

* * *

 *******ALSO**** (PLEASE READ THIS AN, IF YOU CAN.)**

I want to take the time to thank _EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU_ who have supported me and shown me SO much love. I've received so much hate and unnecessary nuisance/headaches from a certain someone in the last four months. This girl was _extremely_ insensitive and just pure sadistical, especially since I was attending a few funerals at that time. Even in the last 1-2 months, the cruel sadism has started again and I cannot thank those people (whoever supported me and shown me overwhelming amount of love) enough.

Saying that, I also appreciate everyone defending me when I truly needed such moral support.

I don't think I have to mention the name of the person responsible and I don't want to either. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Anyways. I'm too busy to deal with desperate, attention-seeking, love-deprived haters :)

If you're here to hate and be sadistic, heartless, and downright cruel, here's a message for you:

 _Hating on others means that you're not happy. You're spending your time on things that you hate. This means you're unhappy with your own life. And when you're unhappy, this takes some time off your average lifespan. Therefore, spread love, be happy, and hopefully, you'll live longer. If you STILL feel the need to spread hate, LEAVE OR GET LOST. You don't have to be here (no one is making you) and trust me,_ _ **NO ONE**_ _will be missing you!_

Thank you :)

Love,

 _SeaEmerald - The Friendly Author :)_

 _ **Moving on...!**_

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 3:35 PM ~**

"I want to make things right with you," Skylar started out with a smile.

"Too late," Brandon snapped firmly right on cue. Skylar felt a sharp sting stab her heart at his harsh tone. But she tried to ignore it anyway because deep down, she knew she was the one at fault for throwing their relationship away.

"Why won't you give me a chance?" she asked in a soft voice. "I know you still lo-"

Brandon immediately cut her off once again. "Don't you _dare_ finish that," he growled while pointing an accusing finger at her. How _dare_ she talk like he was the one to blame?! "I did give you a chance. Every day for three whole years. Did you really think that I won't find someone else?" he scoffed.

Skylar's veins bubbled with anger. "Yes! Yes, I did think so! Because you promised _me_ a forever!" she accused angrily.

"You did too. At least _I_ kept my promise. At least _I_ have the guts to call you every damn hour even after our breakup!"

She scoffed. "A breakup which was your family's fault!" she yelled back on cue. Did he really think that it was that easy for her? It's so easy to say the words but only she would know how tormented she felt at that time.

But she immediately regretted her words and tone when he looked as if he's been slapped left and right. He looked vulnerable and wounded, letting her see his emotions for a split second. But that didn't change the way she was hurting. She really did think that he'd still be alone but no. Skylar let out a hollow laugh."I randomly check on you one day and I see you fooling around with some blonde bimbo," she muttered sourly.

"I'm not fooling around, Sky, and that blonde is not a bimbo and she has a name. I love her and you can't change that," Brandon said firmly. "If you think that I'll leave her because of you, you've never been so wrong."

 _Yeah, right_ , she scoffed. "Really? Then prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"If there's nothing I can do to make you come back to me, then the least you can offer me is your friendship," she stated as a matter of fact.

"The hell?"

"We can be friends, can't we?" she smirked.

Brandon stared at her while losing his voice completely. "What are you trying to do?" he asked in a choked voice.

"What? You don't trust your relationship if we're friends?" Skylar smirked as she continued to effectively provoke him.

Brandon fell speechless at her words. Her gaze seemed to penetrate through his soul as he stood there in front of her. But he seemed to find his voice again as she continued to smirk. He stood up and traveled around his desk. "Don't you _dare_ threaten me, Skylar," he warned her in a calm voice. "That would be a grave mistake."

She laughed softly. "Threaten? How can I threaten you with friendship?" she asked innocently.

"We're not friends. I don't care what you're going to say or think, but you will _never_ be a friend of mine again."

Skylar frowned and blinked back tears at his unforgiving tone. Can't he see how much she still loved him? Being here is one of the hardest damn things she had to do! Seeing his stupid face after five years affected her in so many inexplicable ways that she felt like dying for ever letting me go! Being able to be here less than ten feet away from him and not being able to touch him sent her wildly crazy. And unlike him, she never found anyone else nor did she want anyone else.

She wanted him and _only_ him.

"...I just want to be in your life again," she interrupted him sadly with tears pricking her eyes. Brandon stopped mid-sentence as he gazed at her sad and lost face. She continued with a choked lump in her throat, "I know I was the one who pushed you away. I know you called me and I got all of your messages! You have no idea how sorry I am!"

"I didn't come here to sabotage you or your company," she said in a firm voice.

"I know," he sighed. Even if she did, he knew how to put her in her place. He didn't take over and build this empire so that his ex-girlfriend can come and crumble it away with a snap of her fingers.

"All I wanted was a chance to speak with you and set things right," Skylar pleaded regretfully. "Please don't hate me, Brandon. I can't live with that-"

"I don't," the brunette interrupted her, making her eyes widen to the size of saucers. He placed his hands into his pockets before looking away. "I can never hate you, Sky," he said, his eyes mimicking the same amount of hurt as her. "You know that."

"Really? You mean that...? You're not just saying it?" she asked in disbelief.

"...Did I ever strike you as a liar?" he smiled lightly, eliciting a little humor into the serious situation.

However, he let out a surprised grunt when she threw herself in his arms. His eyes widened considerably as she hugged him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she sniffled gratefully as she wrapped her arms around his torso. _Sandalwood_...she blinked in surprise while inhaling his scent. _He still uses the same brand..._ she thought joyfully, remembering that she had once given this perfume on his twentieth birthday.

Gathering his senses back, he felt a rush of emotions when Skylar hugged him. It brought back memories of them while they were dating. He didn't honestly want to remember that. The pain that came from the breakup was immeasurable and he had turned into an ill-tempered, gruff, and arrogant jerk in a matter of months.

Reliving through that again is _worse_ than hell.

Getting a hold of himself, he moved a hand from his pockets and wrapped a single arm around Skylar's back. "Don't cry. Please," he asked while hugging her back.

"I'm sorry," Skylar softly sniffled while pulling back from him. "I guess I was really...I was really happy to hear that."

He remained silent and closed his eyes as Stella flashed into his mind. He _STILL_ did not tell her. His beautiful blonde is still in the dark about his ex.

"Can we be friends again...?" Skylar asked.

Ever since this girl left his life without a trace, all he ever wanted was her to come back. _H_ e wanted her to come back _somehow_. Fast-forward five years later and she's here. She's actually here in front of him.

 _But..._ things aren't the same for him as they were five years ago.

Today, he wasn't a single bachelor swinging his way through life, hoping against hope that she'll come back to him.

 _Noooo._

He was far from it actually.

He _IS_ married. He _HAS_ a wife. He has Stella.

Brandon took a deep breath before removing his arms from her and stepping back from her. He took her arms away from him and put them back at her sides.

"I'm sorry, Sky. I really am," he said softly. "I can't. I have someone in my life and I can't do this to her. She's worth so much to me and I can't do this. I can't do this to her."

Skylar sunk with disappointment at his answer, but her heart ravaged with rage at his confession of profound love towards the blonde twit.

"Why not?!" she challenged. "Doesn't she love you? Doesn't she trust you?!"

Brandon's eyes darkened. "This isn't about trust, Skylar. It's about _respect._ I _KNOW_ that I wouldn't feel comfortable if Stella's ex started to hang around her. So why would I go be a hypocrite and do the same thing?"

"Brandon, what the hell do you think I'm gonna do?! You said it yourself! It's been FIVE years!"

Brandon sighed and kept his hands shelved into his pockets. "...It doesn't mean anything to me. I'm in a very good place, Sky. I'm happy. I don't want to sound like I'm not happy seeing you or anything like that because I am. I'm happy you're back, but I'd like for you to keep your distance," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

He didn't hate Sky for what she did to him. It's not that he didn't want her in his life. He did, but...not at the cost of his Stella.

It's just...he's _much_ happier now. He loved Stella so much more and he never felt his life become so...so stable before. She changed him in so many ways and he believed that he's a better man now because of her.

For such a beautiful girl like her, he has a _minimum_ responsibility to show her what's called _loyalty._

If it was the other way around, he probably would be paranoid even though he _knows_ that Stella would never leave him for her ex. The situation is just uncomfortable altogether, so why not just _drop it?_

"I said I was sorry!" Skylar cried in desperation. "I apologized! So, why can't we go back to the way we were?!"

Brandon looked at her like she was crazy. "Because things changed, Skylar!" he fired back. "Your apology changes _NOTHING_ for me. I'm not a single man, Sky! I'm married and I have a wife! I love her to death and I can't-"

"Those were the exact words you said to me once!" Skylar sniffled while glaring at him with a look of deep betrayal on her face. "You were supposed to love _me..._ "

"Until _YOU_ threw all of that away," he retorted right on cue.

He took a step towards her and showed her the bitter anger she left in him. " _WHERE_ were you when I cried for you!? _WHERE_ were you when I called you? _WHERE_ were you when I begged you to come back to me? _WHERE?!"_

"I lost myself because of you. I became a _DRUNK_ because of you! I became a _MONSTER_ because of you!" he yelled, making Skylar's eyes widen as she took a step back.

His heart rate increased as his chest rose and fell rapidly. His blood pulsed and his skin turned red on his face as he frowned deeply.

His eyes softened when he remembered how he became the man he is today. "Until Stella came along. You have _NO_ idea what she had to put up with. And there is no way in hell am I ever going to let her go through what you put me through. I love her to death and there is not a single thing you can do to convince me otherwise."

"Brandon-" Skylar started to protest but was cut off.

He held up his hand as his final word. "Please. I didn't want it to be this way, but I'm glad about how things ended up for us. I vowed to her and myself that I'll never betray her. _This,"_ he gestured solemnly, not knowing how to describe the things between them, " _WILL_ hurt her. It's not about trust. It's about respecting my wife, who trusts and believes me enough to believe any unbelievable shit I say. That's all there is to it," he finally stated firmly.

But it's true. Stella is incredibly naive when it came to him. She will believe whatever nonsense he tells her, but he never took that to his advantage. And he never will. If he can't respect the woman he claimed to love, then...what kind of a man is he?

Skylar felt as if her heart has been crushed into a million pieces. She stood still as she struggled to process his words.

Her body grew hot with the amount of blood that boiled underneath her skin. With a decisive glare, she picked up her bag and her stuff before moving to storm out of the door. She cast him one last betrayed look as she stepped outside with the door closing behind her.

Brandon let out a long breath that he's been holding in for a while. "That was harder than I thought," he sighed while pacing around the room to cool himself down.

Meanwhile, Skylar's eyes brimmed red with angry tears. She cast a glare at the room's entrance door. With a turn of her heel, she contorted her face into one of rage.

 _"Well, if I can't have you, neither can anyone else,"_ she vowed heatedly with determination as she walked/stomped down the hallway, her heels clicking rapidly against the tiled reflective surface.

* * *

 **~ Starbucks Coffee, New Jersey - 4:30 PM ~**

"I still can't believe you're here," Stella smiled while twirling her latte with a black straw and occassionally sipping the steaming, creamy brown liquid.

Chris chuckled. "I had a conference in town and thought I'd stop by to see one of my good ol' friends."

"Well, it's really good to see you again," the blonde smiled.

"So how's college workin' out for you?" he asked.

"Well, I'm working on my final thesis, so I don't have that many classes anymore. I'm free this week actually," she shrugged.

"That's great!" he grinned. "I'm really happy for you though. You look really good."

The blonde thanked him with a smile before leaning across the table in a little curiously. "You seem oddly happy and _jumpy_ these days too. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in love," she replied slyly.

Chris's eyes widened while the back of his neck stung a little with heat. So she caught on! _Such a clever girl,_ he fondly thought. "Really? Does it show?" he asked with a smile.

"Call it a girl's intuition," Stella winked.

 _Guess you lost before I even started, Shields!_ He smirked internally to himself. He couldn't believe his luck. He hadn't even started his game of dice and somehow, the odds seem to be looking up already.

He leaned a little into the table. "Have any advice?"

Stella snorted and held up her hands in surrender. "I'm probably the last person you should ask when it comes to relationships. Just sayin'."

"Says the girl who's been married for two years," Chris chuckled.

At his words, Stella's smile couldn't help but falter for a few seconds before disappearing altogether. Noticing that, he outwardly frowned and placed a comforting hand on top of hers, although he was rejoicing on the inside. _So things aren't so bright between them,_ he smugly cheered himself up. He didn't even have to try too hard!

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" he gently asked.

Stella lightly smiled and shook her head. "No."

"If you need to talk, I'm here, Stella. As a friend," he offered.

"Thank you, Chris," the blonde smiled before taking her hand back. "It's just..." Stella sighed before looking out the window. "I don't know...I'm not really sure if we're on speaking terms anymore," the blonde noted sadly with a frown.

"Did you guys fight?" Chris asked in concern while doing a victory dance on the inside. Any form of discontent between these two is viewed as a celebration for him.

"He's just avoiding me for some reason and I don't know why," Stella shrugged. "It's like he's hiding something from me."

"Maybe he's trying to keep you safe from it? Maybe he's thinking that you're better off without knowing?" Chris offered.

"All the more reason for me to know, Chris..." Stella sighed. "All the more reason for me to know."

"Hey, if you want to talk, you know I'm here for you, Stel. You can always talk to me about it," Chris smiled.

"Thank you," Stella nodded gratefully.

Honestly, she didn't really want to. It's not that Chris is a bad guy or something like that. No, Chris _is_ a good guy in general and a good friend, but he wasn't that close to her as of yet. At least, he wasn't close enough to her that she'd start sharing her personal problems right away.

Even if he was...

Stella didn't feel comfortable with talking about such an intimate subject with anyone other than Brandon.

She had a problem with Brandon and it didn't feel right to go blabbing about the brunette behind his back. She knows that he'll never do that to her, so it's only fair that she respected her relationship in return.

"But if it's okay, can we just change the subject?" Stella said.

Chris couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Somehow, she still maintained a visibly venerated distance from him and he didn't like that one bit. He calmly nodded at her request while a dark glare mentally graced his mind.

They started talking about something else in general but Stella's mind didn't stray too far from her cause of worry. Her studies are fine. Her friends are fine. Everything was fine in her life _except_ the most significant part of it.

 _Her not-so-great love life._

Her hazel brown eyes blinked with sadness.

Brandon wasn't avoiding her, per se. No, he wasn't. It's just that...they didn't talk much these days. Just a quick and too-busy-to-call hello and a very occasional text from him. Whenever she did call, conversations miserably trailed off and turned unbearably awkward.

She can't really pinpoint what's wrong in their relationship, but she just knew that something wasn't really right.

And now that his birthday is literally on this weekend, she felt all the more upset at not being able to be with him. In fact, she had been hesitating to go up and see him because she was afraid that maybe he wouldn't be too happy to see her. Her last visit had been wonderful up until the part where she confronted his attitude towards her. And no matter how much restraint she can show this time, it won't last long. A visit to the house will ensue another confrontation, no doubt. And she didn't want this fight to lead to something painful once more. In the end, it'll ultimately be both of them who'll suffer.

"So when are you coming upstate?" Chris asked. "Maybe this weekend for Brandon's birthday?"

"How'd you know that?" Stella asked in surprise.

He laughed. "Everyone in our line of work knows. His employees practically worship the guy. Besides, it's no secret that Brandon's folks always organize his birthday like a festival or something."

Stella's eyes widened. "Wait. _Seriously?_ " she asked incredulously.

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh yeah? Don't tell me you didn't know that."

She shook her head innocently, saying that she really didn't. Frankly, this is the first birthday of Brandon's that she'll be celebrating. She hadn't been here last year, so she didn't know.

 _Guess your girl doesn't know much about you after all,_ Chris snickered mentally at Brandon.

He cleared his throat. "Well, every year, Heather and Lucas Shields book a star hotel for family and friends while inviting their employees for one whole weekend of partying. Oh and they get a few days off."

Stella blinked. "Really?"

Chris laughed at her bewilderment and nodded. "Yeah. Really."

"Wow," she breathed. So...this weekend, they'll be staying in a hotel? Why? Staying in a home is so much comfortable, not to mention way cheaper.

"Are you coming as well then?"

Chris nodded. "The employees are invited by default and they can invite anyone else they wish to. A friend of mine works there."

Stella nodded. "Ohh. Well, I'll see you then, I guess."

Chris chuckled. " _But_ you have to promise me at least one dance."

Stella laughed. "Sure." The blonde checked her watch and was surprised that more than an hour has passed already. "Um Chris, I'm sorry but it's getting late and I really have to go."

"Uh sure. We'll catch up on the weekend?" he asked with hope while inwardly masking his disappointment.

"Sure," Stella said with a little hesitance as she stood up, making him follow suit. Honestly, she wasn't sure. In fact, she was _certain_ that there's going to be _no_ 'catching up' except maybe in the birthday party. There was only a few days and she wanted to spend it with Brandon and no one else. Call her selfish, but it's true.

"Bye. Take care," Stella smiled while giving him a small hug. Chris nodded before tightening his grip on her. The blonde gasped inaudibly at the grip around her waist.

"I'll see you soon, Stella," he spoke near her ear and that somehow made her feel a little claustrophobic and uncomfortable. She awkwardly patted his back with a frown. "Uh, yeah. Me too," she said while placing her hand on his chest to push him away.

"Bye," she said once more before turning around on her heel, not liking this new and strange feeling at all.

Chris stared after her retreating figure with anger. She just ignored him! The closer he tried to get, the more obvious she made it that she didn't anything to do with him other than mere friendship.

 _Looks like I'll have to try another way,_ he thought to himself as a dark glare came onto his face.

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 3:50 PM ~**

Shortly after Skylar left, Brandon stayed in his office. He sat down slumped in his desk while feeling unsettled over the dispute they had.

He played absentmindedly with a circular (flat on bottom) paperweight and twirled it around between his fingers before rotating it around the desk. The scent that Skylar left on him when she hugged him was still fresh against his collar. He felt a wave of bold pumpkin and cinnamon spice. It was familiar but also _so_ far, far away. It was the exact fragrance of perfume that Skylar had been using since they dated.

He remembered gifting a random perfume bottle to her for one of her birthdays and she still used that exact perfume.

He did too. He used sandalwood as his cologne, not just because Skylar gave it to him but also because he genuinely liked it. Sharing perfumes had been sort of an inside joke between them when they were together.

But today...that joke was no longer worth remembering as it's in the far, far corner of his memory cortex. Brandon sighed as flashes of him and Skylar being together flooded his brain.

But...it didn't do anything to him. He didn't know what came over him minutes ago, but all he remembered was sense of overprotectiveness. He wanted to protect Stella from getting hurt at any cost and today...Skylar means nothing to him romantically.

 _Stella..._

A small smile bloomed on his lips. He created so _many_ memories with this girl. She's stunning, witty, hilarious, clumsy, and...just beautiful.

What more could he want in life?

He opened his phone before realizing that it has been forever since he spoke with her. He stood up instantly before moving to dial her number, but stopped all of a sudden. He scrolled through his call logs and saw that there has indeed been a numerous amount of missed calls. His inbox was flooded with texts from her.

Slapping his forehead at his own negligence, he moved to call her.

 _Wait..._

If he's not wrong, she's either super mad at him _OR_ she's angry enough to drill a hole of common sense into his dense brain. Either way, he is screwed.

Brandon debated on what to do. He turned on his phone again, letting his eyes rest on the wallpaper.

Without further adieu, he grabbed his briefcase before quickly sending out a few texts and emails to his secretary. See? This was one of the times that CEOs _LOVE_ having personal assistants.

* * *

 **~ Princeton University - Campus Quad - 6:45 PM ~**

Stella exited out of the library with a small sigh escaping from her lips. She checked her phone for any notifications.

"Why do I even bother?" she murmured testily before stuffing the device in her back pocket.

"Stella!"

Stella turned around when she heard her name being called.

"Oh. Hey, Andy," the blonde smiled tightly when she saw her classmate running towards her. Ever since she met this guy, he has _not_ made an effort to hide his way-too-obvious feelings for her.

Andy grinned at her, oblivious to her irritation. "I was wondering...are you free tonight? Maybe a dinner or-"

"Listen, Andy," Stella started with a tired sigh.

"Stella, please. Just _ONE_ dinner. I won't ask anymore. Just give me a chance-"

"Why is it that everyone hits on _my_ girl?" an annoyed, gruff voice spoke from behind (drum roll, please).

Stella gasped audibly and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the incredibly familiar, deep, masculine voice. "B-Brandon...?" she whispered with her voice dying halfway in her throat.

Brandon smirked at her reaction. He stood just behind Stella, earning him a glare from the black-haired new guy.

The brunette wrapped a tender arm around the blonde's waist. "Am I interrupting anything?" the brunette smirked from behind before kissing her cheek. She gaped at him, wondering if he was really here.

Brandon stared at Andy with a pointed glare, a look that only a fellow male would understand. "I'm Brandon," the brunette smiled before extending a hand to shake.

Andy nervously laughed before taking the brunette's hand. "Andrew. But you can call me Andy."

Brandon smirked, "Nice to meet you, _Andy."_

"You too."

Andy jerked slightly when the grip on his hand tightened firmly for a moment. He looked up at Brandon, who cast a look of warning his way. The brunette let loose of him.

Brandon looked pleasant and handsome from the outside but Andy can definitely tell that he's not happy.

"Uh, I was just leaving," Andy nervously smiled before throwing up his hands in surrender. "See you, Stella. Nice to meet you, Brandon."

After he left, Stella turned to Brandon with an amused smile. "Did you just scare my classmate?"

Brandon rolled his eyes unapologetically. "I hate that they look at you like that," he grumbled with peeved jealousy. Yeah, he admitted it. He didn't like it when a guy hits on Stella. He just didn't. This girl was just too gorgeous for her own good.

"Let's go," he ushered before grabbing her arm.

"Ow, hey! Where?!" she asked.

"Does it matter?" he winked at her.

"Uh yeah?" she asked back in confusion.

He chuckled. "Relax. I don't want us to talk on an educational campus. You are free right now, right?" he asked with skepticism.

"...Uh yeah...?" she blinked, still in shock that he's actually here with her. "Are you really here?" she asked in confusion before poking him in the chest.

He rolled his eyes. "I know you did not just insult me," he grimaced unhappily.

She laughed before shaking her head.

* * *

 _ **20-30 minutes later...**_

They left the campus in Brandon's car. The car ride was pretty much silenct and uneventful as Stella seldom spoke.

Brandon took them to a public park where hopefully, they can talk and sort out their issues.

As he expected...she _is_ mad.

They entered the public park where a few people can be jogging around, kids playing, couples wandering around and sneaking kisses, etc.

So, they both ventured inside the park into a private, less populated corner.

"So...how have you been?" he asked as they walked down the trail.

"...Why are you here?" she asked out of the blue, catching him off-guard.

"What?" he asked her back, a little stunned. He expected her to blow up but certainly, not _this_ way.

They both stopped in their tracks.

Stella bit her lip before crossing her arms and taking a deep breath to hide her nervousness and masked hurt. "Why are you here, Brandon?" she asked again. She kept her voice quiet and low because honestly, she did _NOT_ want them to fight. She hated their fights because they did get pretty ugly quickly.

"Can't I come and see you?" he asked in confusion.

"Me? I thought you were here for work or something," she said monotonously.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. "Work? I never came to see you because of work."

"Oh," she shrugged. "Well, it's good to see you then."

He blinked a few times and continued to stare at her. She seemed...off. She didn't smile, she didn't laugh, and she wasn't talkative. He approached her cautiously before halting in front of her. "What's wrong?" he asked seriously because he needed to know why she wasn't happy to see him.

"Nothing," she mumbled while averting her eyes from him.

He caught her chin and turned her towards him. "Don't give me that. I know you better than that. Tell me what's wrong," he repeated with a higher edge to his tone.

Stella took a deep breath before raising her hand to push his hand away. "You tell me," she told him softly, finally letting him see how truly upset she is at him. She took her phone out from the back pocket of her jeans before shoving it into his hands. He took it curiously before staring at it, not knowing what to do with it. "I called you every single day for the past ten days. I texted you like there was no tomorrow," she explained as he kept his eyes on her.

"I thought something was wrong, so I called Heather a few days ago and she told me that you visited her just hours ago. You were fine," Stella finished sadly. "So...why don't YOU tell me what's wrong?"

He sighed, knowing he _DID_ anticipate this on his way here. Well, she wasn't completely angry but she was definitely upset.

His eyes softened at the misting tears in her golden pools. "Stell..." he breathed before wrapping his arms around her.

"No, don't," she grimaced before using her arms to push him away, but he refused to budge.

"Don't bother wasting your energy," he coaxed before tightening his grip on her.

"What's wrong with me, Brandon?" she sniffled. "Why're you being so distant?"

He stared at her incredulously. "Princess, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you," he tried to persuade her. "You're perfect-"

"Then why is it that you don't talk to me anymore?" Stella demanded. "Are you bored with me or am I too clingy? Or both?!"

"How about _NEITHER?!_ " he suddenly shouted, making her gasp. "Stop putting words in my mouth, Stella," he warned her with a dark glare.

"Well, stop making me feel so insignificant to you, so I won't have to!" she yelled back.

"Stella, _STOP._ Don't make me say something that I know I'll regret later," he warned again, clearly not appreciating her doubting his feelings for her.

She stared at him before she fell silent for a long moment, not knowing what else to say. "...Fine," she replied as her eyes grew heavy and turned blurry at his words. "So much for asking you where you were all this time," she snapped.

She tossed him a small glare before turning her face away from him. She dabbed at her moist eyelashes before shaking her head.

"Are you crying?" he asked with a sigh.

"No," she stubbornly shook her head before covering her face with her hands.

"Stella...really? What did I even say?!" he asked while throwing his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry I yelled. Happy?"

"Are you kidding me? Go away," she mumbled while taking a deep breath to push the lump down her throat.

"Really? But, where will I even go? You have a dorm like two miles away but our home is about three hours away from here!" he protested with humor.

"Brandon, can you please just leave me alone?" she sighed before sniffling and pushing past him. "For the record, you're _NOT_ funny!" she hollered as she stepped away from him.

He winced, half out of amusement and another out of concern for himself, when he saw her pick up pebbles and throw them into the lake angrily. Clearing his throat, he followed her before standing behind her.

"You should angle your hand a little better to throw further," he helpfully pointed.

She turned her head away from him stubbornly. "Brandon, you're so freaking annoying," she grumbled.

She gasped when he suddenly pressed his lips tightly against her cheek out of the blue. "Come on, baby. You're not really angry at me," he coaxed with amusement.

" _Yes_ , I _am!_ Go away before I slap the daylights out of you!" she cried. She was mostly pissed that he was taking her as a joke right now.

"Really now?" he smirked.

"Can you please stop treating me like I'm a kid?" she huffed.

"A kid?" his eyes widened. "Now, why would I _EVER_ date a kid, much less marry one?" he shook his head incredulously. "I'm no pedophile!"

A muffled giggle left her lips. "Brandon, _ssstttoooopppp_!" she whined while pushing him away. She started to slap him. He started to laugh because he could tell that she was annoyed with him. He covered his face as he continued to laugh. "Ow, hey! Stell, chill!" he said while she continued to hit him.

He caught her flying wrists before she can do more damage to his already abused body.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he smiled fondly. "Hey, I was just a little busy, okay?"

"Well, why can't you just say that! Do you really think that I wouldn't understand?!" she sighed in exasperation.

"I'm sorry," he offered again with a faint smile. "I drove all the way here to see you and hopefully take you home," he told her.

"Can I?" he grinned, hoping to catch a smile from her.

"...Yeah," she blushed before lightly hitting his shoulder.

"That's my girl," he grinned before leaning in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he pulled her closer by the waist. The soft kiss turned long and passionate as they poured their longing for each other into it.

Even though it has just been a little over ten days or so, he felt like it's been forever since he has seen her.

Pulling back after a few moments, they resuming talking and in general, just catching up.

"Wait. How the hell did you even find me?!" Stella asked curiously.

"Oh. I asked Bloom," Brandon answered. "She said that you'll be at that library. I was waiting for you for a while, actually."

"Ohhh."

After a long while later, they both decided that it was best to get going since the drive was still hours long.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It'll be around eleven by the time we get home," Stella complained unhappily. That's just way too long.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

He leaned over and unbuckled her seat belt. The belt whirred as it went back to its original place. She stirred sleepily before opening her heavy eyelids slowly. "B-Brandon...?" she murmured heavily.

"Hey, you're up," he said with a small smile. "Come on, we're home."

They just left their stuff in the car, figuring they can take it out in the morning. They were both frankly tired between their respective jobs.

Minutes later, they changed into something comfortable before turning in for the night.

"Good night..." she said sleepily at him.

"'Night, Stel," he smiled. They were both tired for today, so it was probably for the best to turn in early. He turned the lights off before falling back against the mattress. He sighed to himself, clearly happier than he has been just a few hours ago. He missed this so much. He's been spending the last few nights at his office, coming home only for a shower and a change of clothes or for additional hours of sleep. But right now, having her with him, he missed it so much. He loved the way they spent their nights. They honestly had such a perfect relationship and he couldn't have asked for anything better.

"Sweet dreams, princess," he sleepily murmured before slowly dozing off.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 8:00 AM ~**

"Let's see..." Stella tapped her chin in thought. "Where the heck are the aprons?"

"Aprons? Are you kidding me?" Brandon muttered incredulously while raiding the cabinets for ingredients.

They were both in the kitchen, trying to make breakfast _together._

"Why not?" Stella asked while going over to the pantry where two aprons were neatly folded inside. One of them was a midnight blue with a silver-white crescent in the middle while the other was a plain black. Obviously, the blue one was hers and the black was his.

She handed his apron to him. He took it but not without complaining. "Sunshine, we're only making eggs and pancakes. Not a feast," he chuckled.

"Yeah, but it's fun," she defended, making him shake his head and mumble a 'whatever'.

Stella went to the fridge while he started to cut a few vegetables. She opened the freezer to pull out a packet of frozen hashbrowns. "Ahh!" she shrieked instantly when a few ice cubes popped out of the freezer and fell to the floor, crushing into little pieces.

Brandon turned around and shook his head with amusement. "Really?"

"Sorry," she blushed sheepishly before handing him the hashbrowns.

"Be careful," he told her.

She nodded before treading carefully on the melting ice. She reached over for a kitchen towel to clean up the mess before walking over to the cold puddle.

Stella shrieked as she clumsily skidded on the puddle of water and slid backwards. Brandon's eyes widened when he saw her and tried to hold her from behind, but the water below didn't provide his feet with enough momentum to stop the fall.

They both tumbled messily onto the floor with Stella on top of Brandon. He winced as his back collided against the harsh kitchen floor. The water seeped into his clothes as his back started to grow wet.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," he muttered in annoyance when he felt his back soaked with moisture.

Stella opened her eyes and saw the ceiling. Her eyes widened when she saw Brandon underneath holding her by the waist. She shifted in his arms to face him. "Are you okay?" she asked curiously.

"Why can't you fall on your own?! Why do you always have to drag me to the floor?" he grumbled while making sure that she's okay.

"We always do stuff together," she answered with a smirk. "Only fair we fall together too."

He threw her a look of annoyance. "Stella, get the hell off of me!" he grumbled while grunting, trying to lift himself up.

"Why? I like being here," she shyly admitted. "You look hot in your apron, by the way," she commented while tapping his nose.

His lips stretched into a smirk. "Someone's needy today," he commented shamelessly.

Stella gasped before smacking him square in the chest. She blushed a ton of reds before rolling away from him. "You're such a...UGH!" she screeched indignantly. His chest rumbled with laughter at her expense.

"You're _SOOOOO_ not the nice guy I met!" she fumed before standing up. He followed suit before letting out another hearty laugh.

"I never claimed to be one," he winked, making her blush again.

"W-Well, well...!" she stuttered.

"I am a man, after all, Sunshine," he chuckled before kissing her quickly.

"You didn't have a problem with that before!" she huffed.

He rolled his eyes at her presumptiousness. _Yeah, right._ " _Correction._ I just made you think that I didn't," he retorted right on cue, earning a surprised glance from her. She looked momentarily caught off-guard.

He chuckled at her expense before resuming cracking eggs into a bowl.

They spent the day together before Brandon headed to work and Stella decided to study for a few hours.

Friday passed by just as quickly and reality sunk in that Brandon's birthday was just on Saturday. The brunette, however, didn't show the slightest bit of enthusiasm that people would normally show on their birthdays. It's like he didn't really care. Truth is, he honestly didn't. He hasn't celebrated his birthday for years now.

But _this year,_ there _was_ a reason to celebrate. This year started off joyfully for him and he honestly never felt happier before. He never imagined that he would be _this_ happy again after last year. He thought he was done for.

But one thing _still_ plagued him. Stella is still in the dark about Skylar. There were things he would say that would sound ironic to her, but he would actually be dead serious about his words.

She failed to realize how deep his words had really been.

She didn't hear his hidden sadness or his silent plea for help.

* * *

 **~ Friday - 11:57 PM ~**

Stella suppressed a yawn before climbing downstairs. She wasn't too surprised to see Brandon's head stuck into his laptop, working diligently on something and not showing any signs of slowing down or fatigue.

"I thought you were asleep," he commented before sparing her a quick glance. He returned to his laptop again before continuing to work.

"I was," she said softly in a sleepy voice before nearing the sofa he was seated on.

She sat beside him in an energetic plop, making him groan in mild irritation. "Stella, I'm trying to work, okay?" he warned, telling her that now wasn't the best time for her childish antics.

"You can go back to work right after this," she smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck.

He leaned into her touch for a moment before sighing. "Stell...not now, please," he asked.

Ignoring his request, she leaned into him. "Happyyy birthdaaayyyyyyyyyy!" she sang while hugging him tightly.

He jumped at her high-pitched voice before his eyes widened as he blinked in slight shock. He checked the time to see that it was Saturday at _12:01 AM._ He did remember that it was his birthday, but he wasn't really paying attention to it. He smiled at her a little sleepily. "Thank you, Sunshine," he replied before she leaned in to kiss him. He reciprocated easily, all the while feeling her smile against his lips.

"I love you," she smiled against his cheek.

"Love you more," he reciprocated before turning himself to face her.

"Happpyyy birthdayyyy, husband!" she sang again suddenly in a high-pitched voice, leaving him to laugh.

"Thank you?" he chuckled again.

"You're so much fun to be married to!" she exclaimed happily, leaving him to crack up at her again.

"Fun?" he quoted her with amusement before putting his laptop away and pulling her into his lap.

"Yeah," she grinned. "Here, this is an instant gift that I have for you," she beamed before getting off the sofa and crouching. He watched with curiosity as she pulled out a thin box from underneath. She stood up before plopping into his lap again. "Here."

He looked at her before eyeing the little box. He tried to feel it around. It was really lightweight. It's not really a box. More like...a set of papers or something.

"Birthday cards?" he guessed with interest.

She giggled before shaking her head. "Would you've been satisfied with just birthday cards?"

"I'm satisfied with the fact that you even remembered my birthday," he chuckled before tugging at the red and green gift wrapping paper.

"Awww," she gushed before hugging him tightly. "You're so sweet."

He smiled when she kissed his cheek. He started throwing the gift wrapping and ribbons away, revealing a small book.

With an amused smile, he started to flip through the pages.

He started to laugh when he saw what he was holding in his hands. "Sunshine...a coupon book? Really?" he chuckled as he turned to her with interest. She laughed along with him.

"There's a reason for it though!" she giggled.

"Really? Care to enlighten me why I have to use a book rather than my mouth to tell you what to do?" he asked with a pointed look.

"That book is _especially_ useful when I'm on my period," she pointed out as a matter of fact.

His eyes widened. During her period, Stella has one of the worst temper tantrums he has ever seen in his life. So, he would usually alert himself and be on his best behavior at her 'time of the month'. She would complain of pains and cramps and sleep off the first or second day. But she'll show a hissy fit on the third and fourth days.

He suddenly turned to the little book inside where each page has a certain house chore that he can cash in. He held the book close all of a sudden, resembling a pirate finding his lost treasure. "Any chance I'll get any copies of this?" he asked.

She giggled. "Wait till your next birthday?" she offered.

He groaned but sighed later. "I think this is the best birthday gift anyone has ever given me," he grinned before giving her a thumbs-up.

She smacked him harshly on the chest. "My periods are not that bad, thank you very much!"

"..." he tossed her a half-lidded, dry look.

She blushed in embarrassment. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He chuckled before they started to spend the night by quietly talking and then heading to sleep a long time later.

* * *

 **~ That Same Evening - 7:00 PM ~**

Brandon looked absolutely miserable as he put on a fake and pretense smile to interact with the people around the ballroom. What kind of a tradition is this? he grumbled internally while adjusting his tie occasionally. His classic black tux screamed elegance as he handsomely stood out between the considerably large group.

He laughed on the outside as he interacted with some of his cherished employees and other important members.

"Thank you, sir," Brandon smiled as he shook an important man's figure. "I look forward to working with you as well."

"Same here," the other person grinned before excusing himself to get a drink.

Brandon sighed at the relief he felt when he was left standing alone for a few moments. He hated that he had certain obligations. His friends haven't arrived yet and will mostly enter at the same time as their respective girlfriends. He pursed his lips, a little peeved, that he didn't have that luxury.

He had been here for close to an hour now and all he wanted to do was gouge out his eyes.

He felt a poke on his back and felt the urge to bang his head against the wall. If it's another employee...I swear to god, he groaned before turning around. His eyes widened in a pleasant surprise to see Lisa smiling at him.

"Well, look who's all dressed up," she remarked before flashing him a friendly grin.

"Lisa!" he grinned while hugging her gently. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"That bored?" she raised an amused eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "Not funny."

"Well, I think it's hilarious," Lisa giggled. She cast a glance at the bustling people who are slowly filling the large room. "Hey, there's Flora!" she exclaimed at a brunette who just entered with her fiancee.

Brandon's eyes widened at seeing his sister. "I'm gonna go, okay?" he asked.

Lisa nodded before bidding him a wave.

"Thanks for coming, Lisa," he smiled down genuinely at her before making his way towards his younger sister.

She donned a floral, forest green dress that was long and graced her ankles gently. Her hair was left open in beach curls with a side part.

"Flo!" he called out before going towards them.

Helia and Flora turned in his direction before flashing him brilliant smiles. Brandon's heart warmed to see that. He had missed her so much and...they look really happy together.

He approached the couple before hugging Flora and kissing her cheek lightly. He gave a 'manly' hug to Helia before stepping back. "You guys look great," he complimented.

Helia chuckled. "As do you. Where's Stella? And the others?"

Brandon groaned. "Good question, buddy."

"Well, I'm forgetting the most important part. Happy birthday, bro!" Flora squealed as she hugged her brother tightly, leaving him to laugh and pat her head. "Thanks, sis," he murmured softly, still can't believe that she's getting married in two months.

"Happy birthday, man," Helia wished warmly, making Brandon smile in return.

"How's everything going on for you guys? The wedding, the baby, and all?" Brandon asked, still feeling a little different and giddy at the word 'baby'.

"Pretty good so far," Flora grinned as she clutched her baby bump which was a little more noticeable now. Helia beamed in pride before wrapping an arm around the brunette's waist and kissing her temple.

"I'm really happy for you guys. You two deserve that," Brandon wished them, making Flora's pregnancy hormones go over the wall with sentiment.

"Thank you, Brandon," she smiled with teary eyes.

Brandon nodded with a small smile. "Well, I'll catch you guys later, okay?"

They nodded, leaving him alone once again.

His eyes involuntarily scanned the busy crowd hoping to catch glimpse of a certain blonde, but froze suddenly when they met with piercing blue ones. His feet locked themselves into place again when he saw Skylar holding his gaze with hers. She donned a short, full-sleeved black dress that curved around her like almost a second skin. Her makeup was bold and edgy while her hair stood out in sleek waves.

She walked towards him while her hips swayed from side and side and her hair bounced left and right to her movements.

His mouth went dry while his eyes blinked with horror, in case Stella might show up out of nowhere.

"Brandon..." Skylar cooed as she stopped before him while holding a glass of champagne. "Happy birthday," she smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth as he stood there dumb-founded.

"...Thank you..." he murmured lowly.

Skylar smirked at the effect she's having on him. While her perspective made her seem that he was probably attracted to her, his nervous eyes were actually for an entirely different reason.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

"I'll never understand why we're being 'fashionably' late again," Bloom grumpily muttered as the five girls went up the stairs. There was excitement, laughter, and decorations inside that simply couldn't be dismissed without a long glance. They went inside the ballroom and stopped for a moment to take in the glamour.

"Because that way, our gentlemen can miss us even more," Stella smirked while looking around in awe.

Buffet tables were arranged on opposite sides of the mansion-like room. Waiters and waitresses cruised around the ballroom while handing out an assorted group of drinks.

"Damn right, Stella," a voice smirked from beside them. The girls turned to see their respective men, minus Brandon, approaching them.

Sky gave Stella and the rest a short hug before kissing Bloom a proper greeting. "You girls look stunning," he complimented.

"True," another voice interrupted with a smile.

Stella and the others squealed to see Helia and Flora approaching them hand-in-hand.

Riven gruffly clutched his ears in annoyance. "What's with stupid women and screaming?!" he grumbled, earning a scoff from Musa.

"Hey, Flora!" the girls rushed to the brunette before hugging her tightly, but carefully.

"It's great to see you girls again," Flora beamed as the girls surrounded her.

"So I'm just ignored now?" Helia huffed as the girls pushed him to the side.

"Join us, man!" Riven hollered while welcoming him with open arms, earning chuckles from the guys and oblivious hollers from the girls.

"Show us our god-daughter!" Musa grinned while stepping back. Flora laughed before shaking her head in amusement. The bump was visible, but it can still be covered with loose dresses. Flora was practically glowing in her pregnancy and the girls couldn't be any happier.

Stella looked around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of Brandon.

Brandon, on the other hand, was still nervously standing while making occasional small talk with Skylar. Her presence itself was beyond uncomfortable. He wondered why he even bothered inviting her, but knew that some people have to be invited whether he liked it or not due to a formal courtesy.

He sighed. He glanced towards the entrance and his eyes widened in relief at the little troop that gathered there. He immediately let out a long exhale out of immense relief. "I'll see you around, Sky," he hastily replied before moving without even giving her a chance to speak.

 _Yes, you will._ Skylar simply turned around. Her eyes narrowed into a disapproving glare when she saw caught sight of Stella. _How can he fall for a girl like her?!_ she frowned.

Stella's heart leapt a beat when she saw Brandon approaching her with a smile on his face.

"Brandon!" she waved to him in a way that made him laugh. His steps turned fast-paced as he made his way over to her.

"Stel!" he grinned as he picked her up and spun her around, earning heat on her cheeks. He forgot that they were in public as he grinned like a total loon before setting her down on her feet. He took a good look at her. Beautiful. His eyes took in the glowing blush on her face as she donned a long gold-cap sleeved lace mermaid dress that ignited a secret inferno within him. Her makeup was applied to perfect and her hair gently framed around her voice. The ballroom's bright lights made her glow ever more ethereally.

"You look stunning," he whispered mesmerized as he kissed her cheek.

"AHEM."

Brandon turned to their group who looked amused. Stella's face flushed with a strong hue of red when she saw a few other people who looked very interested in their little public display.

"Hey, guys," Brandon smiled before going over to them.

Stella smiled when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to himself.

"Please just get a room," Riven sighed in annoyance.

"Oh we will," Brandon smirked before turning towards the blonde. "Should we?" Stella's face flamed with fire as she covered her face in his chest with embarrassment while his chest bubbled with his laughter. "Oh my god..." she mumbled, her face turning redder by the second.

The rest chose to face-palm or scrunch their faces in disgust or amusement. But the girls looked at Stella who was visibly radiating off happiness.

It warmed their hearts to finally see her so happy. They all knew that she went through ten different kinds of pain last year. Their breakup devastated her more than anything. Even some of the guys couldn't help but glance at the couple with a smile. They, except for Sky (who already knew), knew Brandon fed them a load of bullshit when he said that Stella was going to 'study'.

"Have you had anything?" Brandon turned towards the blonde who shook her head.

"Come on," he ushered. "I'll see you guys later," he waved to them. They all nodded before getting busy with their own girlfriends.

"Where's my mom?" Brandon asked.

"Oh, she said she'll be coming with Lucas. They should be here soon," Stella replied before looping an arm through his.

He nodded slightly before his eyes wandered around the hall. He smiled slightly when he saw couples dancing in the middle of the floor. "Would you like to dance?" he grinned before giving her his hand to take.

"Promise not to let me fall?" she asked sheepishly. "My heels are higher than usual this time."

He started to laugh before pecking her cheek. _"Women..."_ he muttered with amusement, earning a playful glare from her.

* * *

 _ **An hour or so later...**_

"Okay. That's enough," she panted while begging him to take her out of here. He chuckled before nodding. He led them out of the dance floor before Stella started to moan with pain. "This is so the last time I'm wearing heels," she grumbled and winced at the incoming blisters.

"...Yeah, right," he smirked. "Why not just wear flats?!"

"Easy for you to say! You're already a talk Hulk. And I've been genetically deprived of height," she mumbled sourly while wiggling her toes a bit. He laughed before kissing her lightly. "I like it when you're short," he winked.

She blushed and moved to say something else before she was interrupted.

"Stel!"

Stella turned to the source of that call before seeing Musa waving to her. "I'll be right back," she told him before he nodded.

"Hey, Stel!" Musa grinned as the blonde neared him. "You two wanna join us too?"

"Where?" Stella asked in confusion.

"Duh! We're all going to hit the club," Musa smirked. "It'll be so much fun!"

"W-What?! Are you serious?!" Stella asked in bewilderment.

"Heck yes! We're all adults! We can let go for one night," Musa nudged her, encouraging her.

"Wait. But...Brandon can't leave his own party, right?" Stella's eyes widened.

"Sure he can," Musa snorted. "It's _his_ party."

Stella laughed at the twisted logic. "Uh...okay. I'll be right back," she said with excitement before going to find Brandon.

She spotted him across the room but he was busying himself talking to someone else.

Minutes later, she joined him and told him what Musa just blurted to her.

"So?! What do you think?" she asked with excitement. His reaction was totally unexpected as he threw her an unhappy glare.

" _Over my dead body,"_ he snapped while holding up his hand as a final warning.

"But everyone's going!" she whined. "Please, please, pleaseeeeeeee!"

"Like I said. _Over. My. Dead. Body."_

"Pleaseeeeeeee?" she continued to ask while tugging at his tux.

He scoffed. "Where's that coupon book? Is there a coupon thing in there that will tell you to shut up and sit at home?" he demanded while pretending to looking around for it.

"No! Pleaseeeeee!" she complained. "Why can't I go?! It feels like I'm begging my dad to let me go!"

He rolled his eyes. "If that's what I have to be, then so be it. Stella, you're not going anywhere. If you want to go somewhere, go home. Get your little butt inside, wear your pajamas, eat a banana, and go to sleep!" he ordered.

"BRANDON!"

"Why the flip do you even want to go to a club!? For goodness sake, it's a club! A CLUB!" he said incredulously, not understanding why she wanted to go to such places all of a sudden.

"Because I want to enjoy with my friends!"

He sighed and looked down at her. "Baby, there are other ways to enjoy-"

"But you'll be there too!" Stella protested.

"What? Me? I'm not going. I have certain obligations, you know," he rolled his eyes, obviously with distaste at his own words. He obviously wouldn't have minded if he can go as well, but sadly, he'll have to stay a little longer.

"Can I go then? The guys will be there too! I'll be fine!"

He shook his head. "And dump me here?"

She sadly pouted at him. "You can come too. You said your hellos already."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Go," he snapped.

She scoffed. "Well I'm not gonna go if you're being like that!"

He cast her a fake smile. "Dear Stella, please go, get drunk, and pass out," he grinned sarcastically.

"Now that was just creepy," she muttered.

"I don't want you to say it like you have to!" Stella said defensively while hitting his arm.

He threw up his hands in surrender. "Are you kidding me?! I say no and you blow up in my face. I say yes and you start punching me?! I'll never understand women," he muttered sourly.

"Please...for me?" she asked with a trying smile. "It's really rare that everyone comes together like this."

He sighed at her logic before crossing his arms. "...Fine...go," he said quietly.

"Really?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried out happily before hugging him tightly.

"Yeah, yeah," he grimaced. "I'll see you soon then."

"You're coming too?!" she beamed.

He rolled his eyes. "I was planning to show up to the party and then call it a night, but now I see I have new unnecessary plans!" he exclaimed as his voice _dripped_ with sarcasm. Like, what the heck?! " _Thank you for that,_ by the way," he groaned sarcastically.

She giggled and told him that she couldn't wait to see him. He rolled her eyes. Seeing Musa's waving, Brandon told her to get going.

He kissed her cheek one last time before telling her to be careful. "I will," she chirped, making him laugh.

"Go on," he smiled.

He watched Stella leave with a small smile on his face. She looked so beautiful and so happy. The girls were giggling (what else is new?) as they made their way outside.

He kept his eyes in the direction that Stella just disappeared in before gasping inaudibly. His feet moved as he sprinted across the room as fast as he could without looking unprofessional.

"Stella, wait!" he called out after he reached a safe distance. He ran outside, hoping to catch a last glimpse of her before she left. To his luck, he saw her just a few meters away.

She heard his call and turned around. With a concerned look, she told her friends that she'll join them soon and to get to the parking lot. She started to walk towards him.

He caught up to her before slowly taking her hands in his.

"Wait..." he smiled before pulling her close. He caressed the sides of her face with his thumbs while the rest of his fingers stroked the roots of her hair. He leaned forward before placing a lingering kiss on her forehead. Gasping softly in a pleasant surprise, Stella closed her eyes with a small smile before leaning into him. She placed her hands on the sides of his waist as he closed his eyes.

Their little adorable public display of affection attracted a few people's attention as they watched the young couple with smiles on their faces. It was no secret to many people that their boss doted heavily on his wife. The chemistry between them was unmistakenable.

Oblivious to some of the people in the distance, he pulled back before flashing her another loving smile. "I'll just greet a few more people and I'll see you soon, okay?"

Stella nodded with a small smile before hugging him tightly. Moments like these were inexplicable but...so much more precious. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple action of love to show your significant other how much you really care for them.

"Keep your phone with you and stay close to others," he told her with concern and seriousness.

She heeded to his warnings. "I'll be fine," she beamed.

 _They both, however, missed the icy glare from a certain blue-eyed female, standing just a few feet away within eavesdropping distance._

He watched the blonde leave before heading back to make himself known. He grunted when he felt something soft crash into him. He instinctively clutched the young woman by the shoulders "Woah, are you okay?" he asked in concern before looking down at her.

"Uh yeah. Thanks," she answered.

His eyes widened before his stomach churned a little uneasily at the familiar face. "Sky?"

"Hey, Brandon," she smiled uneasily at him.

"Uh...are you okay..?" he asked awkwardly.

She sighed before rubbing her head. "I have a headache. I don't feel well. I gotta go."

"Um okay. Uh...feel better," he wished before she moved away from him.

Skylar hastily tried to go away from him before stopping in her tracks for a second. "Brandon...?" she called his name a little sadly before turning around. He was on his way inside but stopped at the sound of his name.

He turned around slowly. "Yeah?"

"...Happy birthday," she wished him with a wistful smile.

"...Thank you," he nodded. He sighed to himself before speaking softly. "Good night, Sky," he wished.

Skylar watched him with heartbreak as he slowly went back inside. "Good night, my love..." she whispered as a lone tear slid down her cheek.

* * *

 **~ Cielo - 10:30 PM ~**

Stella grinned happily to herself as she entered the club. This club was of _some_ sentiment to her because this was the _EXACT_ same club she's been in when she saw Brandon for the first time after their break up.

 _It's been three months. Just. Three. Months._

Yet, it feels like they've been together since forever now.

Anyways, they were all determined to have some fun tonight before they have to separate after this weekend. Since Flora was four months pregnant and entering her fifth, it wasn't safe for her to come out into a place like this. They stayed back at the birthday bash.

Meanwhile, the rest of them ordered a couple of drinks of their choice before gathering at the bar. "Guys. This is in honor of Brandon's birthday, so it's only fair that he pays!" Musa smirked. Some of them agreed as they all started to laugh.

"Happy birthday, Brandonnnnn!" they yelled, cheering their drinks high up, Stella's voice being the loudest and craziest.

The guys went to their places to change their clothes into something more appropriate for a disco. The girls didn't really bother to change but did remove some of the jewelry they wore.

* * *

 _ **A short while later...**_

The guys showed up a short time later and whisked their girlfriends away into either the dance floor or a private place, leaving Stella alone. They volunteered to stay with her in intervals but she insisted that they go and enjoy. Brandon will be here soon.

Stella sat at the bar stool and hoped that no one will disturb her here. She wasn't really in the mood to be hit on.

She groaned in irritation when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Speak of the devils," she muttered with disgust and chagrin before turning around in her stool.

She was surprised to see that it wasn't a male like she initially thought. It was a _gorgeous_ young woman in her early to mid-twenties who had a small smile to her face.

"I knew it! I knew you looked familiar!" the woman gushed with a wide grin on her face.

"Hi...?" Stella smiled quizzically. This woman somehow felt a little familiar although she couldn't pinpoint.

"I'm Rose," Rose introduced herself with a smile before extending her hand. "You're Stella, right?"

Stella raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. _Where did I see her before...?_

Rose laughed softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I work under Dr. Shields. He's my boss. We briefly met in the gala last year...?" Rose smiled, hoping to jog the blonde's memory.

Stella's eyes widened as recognition flashed in her eyes. "Ohhhh. Nice to meet you," the blonde smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't recognize you."

Rose smiled and dismissed that airily. "Oh no. It's totally fine."

"You and Dr. Shields make a really good couple," Rose grinned genuinely. "I've always wanted to work with Dr. Shields."

"Ohhh," Stella nodded politely with a faint smile. "And thank you."

Rose nodded before she sipped on her drink which was a clear liquid. But, of course, it was not water. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Rose's eyes widened. "Can I buy you a drink please?"

Stella raised an odd eyebrow at the bizarre question. "Um, no. Thank you, but I'm good," the blonde shook her head.

"No, please. I insist. I recently got a promotion, so I'm very thankful for your family. I know Dr. Shields will not accept something like this, so...please"

"Congratulations! I'm sure you deserve it," Stela smiled. "But please, it's okay. For starters, I don't even drink."

"At least a juice then?" Rose smiled genuinely. "Please. I insist."

Stella sighed. She didn't really want to...but this girl was seriously pestering her. The blonde bit her lip before sighing again. "Um sure. If it makes you feel better. I'll have an orange juice."

Without giving her time to change her mind, Rose turned to the bartender. "Excuse me! One vodka and an orange juice, please!"

"Coming right up!" the bartender winked before getting to work.

Rose turned to her again. "So, what do you do?"

"Oh. I study at..." Stella introduced herself as they talked to get to know each other a little better.

A few minutes later, the bartender came up to them before handing them their drinks.

"Place that on my tab, please," Rose winked to which the guy nodded with a smirk.

"Cheers," Rose grinned before holding up her glass of alcohol. Stella smiled before clicking the glass with hers. "Cheers to your promotion," the blonde smiled before sipping the drink.

They continued to drink before making small talk. That is, until Rose's phone started to howl all of a sudden, despite the loud music.

Rose frowned as she looked at her phone. "Oh I'm sorry to cut this short. But I really have to go," Rose said a little disappointedly.

"Sure, no problem. It was nice meeting you," Stella smiled politely before extending her hand for her to take.

"You too," Rose nodded before shaking the hand firmly. "Have a nice night," she smiled before sliding off the bar stool and slipping away into the crowd.

"You too," Stella waved. The former left and Stella was alone again.

The blonde continued to drink her complementary juice while waiting for her friends. She shook her head with amusement when she saw them crazily dancing in the middle of the dance floor. She checked the time on her phone and grinned like a loon. Brandon should be here soon. Nonetheless, she decided to text him out of curiosity.

 _Where are you?_

She pressed 'send' before awaiting a reply from him. He replied almost immediately.

 _In the car ;) See you soon._

She giggled at the cheesy text before tucking her phone back into her hands.

She took a deep breath before starting to feel a little hot. Her stomach started to hurt all of a sudden as she frowned. "Please don't tell me that I just started my period," she whispered to herself in horror. First, it'll be embarrassing as hell to bleed in public. And _second,_ she loved this dress too much to watch it get destroyed. She needed to go home. She sure as hell wasn't going to get her period right now.

Feeling dizzy, she started to inhale and exhale deeply to get rid of the uneasy feeling in the bottom of her stomach. Stella sighed in relief when she saw that Musa wasn't too far away. Standing up, she made her way over to her friend.

"MUSA!" Stella shouted over the music.

Musa turned around at the faint but high-pitched sound before seeing Stella wave to her. "Be right back, babe," she smirked before kissing RIven chastely. "Thank god," he muttered, feeling utterly ridiculous on the dance floor. Musa laughed with a shake of her head before going up to her friend.

"Hey, Stel. What's up? Is Brandon here yet?"

Stella shook her head before hunching over with unease slightly. She felt dizzy and just...uneasy. "Muse...I don't feel so good," she said before clutching her head. "I'm gonna head home."

"What?! Why? Are you okay?!" Musa asked with a frown.

"No, I really don't feel like being here," Stella replied urgently. "I think I'm gonna have my period or something. I just have to go."

"Wait. Then let me drop you," Musa offered.

"No, it's fine. I'll catch a cab. You guys enjoy yourselves." Stella said weakly.

Musa sighed. "Fine, but...please call me when you reach home," she said before giving Stella a short hug. The blonde nodded before turning around and walking towards the exit.

* * *

 _ **A short while later...**_

A black Mercedes pulled up into the parking lot of the club. Brandon turned off the ignition before getting out of the car. He leaned back slightly before rolling his shoulders. He tugged at his black jeans slightly before opening the door and stepping out.

He pulled out his phone before opening Stella's contact. _Where the hell are you guys at?_ he texted to her before making his way in.

He frowned at the wild crowd inside. He did not want his girl to be in a place like this even if it was to 'let loose'. Goodness.

He sighed a little in relief when he saw a few familiar faces. Spotting one of his friends past the midst of crazy dancers, he pushed past them roughly, knowing that they were all too drunk to register anything.

Tecna and Musa were on the bar stools near the bar, talking with themselves. He approached them, a little out of breath and irritation. "Musa, Tecna, where is Stella?!" Brandon asked urgently before looking around in panic.

"What do you mean? She told us she was going home," Tecna's eyes widened as she slid off the stool.

Musa stood up a little worried as well. "Yeah. She said that she wasn't feeling too well..." she trailed off, looking at Tecna for help.

"Well, she isn't home. She's inside," Brandon told them before pulling up his phone. He opened the app to find his contacts where it showed Stella still being inside of this club.

"What?! But she left a long time ago," Musa's eyes widened. "Do you think she lost her phone here?"

Brandon shook his head. "Girls, I was just home to change my clothes. She wasn't there," he protested while frantically looking around. The girls observed his clothing for the first time. He was no longer in his tux. He was wearing club-appropriate clothes like them.

"Girls, I'm gonna look for her," he told them. "Can you try calling her?"

They nodded before taking out their phones.

Meanwhile, Brandon scanned the crowd for a dash of golden blonde, but it was difficult to see in this dark area. All he saw was a bunch of jumping heads.

"Where are you, Stel?!" he whispered to himself, feeling his heart constrict by the second.

"Brandon! There!" Musa suddenly cried out before pointing upstairs where a young woman in a royal golden dress was walking. The dress shimmered with her movements, making it easier for them to see.

"WAIT. WHO IS THAT?!" Tecna shouted over the music when she saw a buff guy walking with Stella possessively.

Brandon's eyes followed their lines of sight before they narrowed into a glare when he saw a buff guy grabbing Stella possessively. _What the hell!?_ Instantly, his mouth opened to shout. "STELL!" he yelled before pushing past the crazy lunatics who wasted their lives by drinking out of their minds.

He looked around for the stairs frantically before seeing the sign for upstairs. He broke out into a dash as fast as he could before roughly pushing past everyone and anyone who got in his way.

The upstairs was filled with nauseating visuals as people groped each other shamelessly. The floor extended into private hallways. "NO!" he suddenly shouted when he saw them both disappear into a room into the distance.

He didn't care what the hell people thought. He ran through the busy hallways, not caring that he nearly knocked someone's teeth while trying to sprint past them.

He felt like the room was still miles away and his heart couldn't breathe as he wondered what was going on behind those closed doors.

" _MOVEEE!_ " he shouted angrily, resorting to use physical strength against the pathetic idiots in his way. They all looked high.

After what felt like a million years, he did reach the room indeed. Without even bothering to check if it's locked or not, he aimed a kick to the door before exerting his physical strength onto his attack. The door tumbled open and cried out in pain as the hinges nearly broke off with his strength.

He instantly rushed inside before stopping dead in his tracks. His blood ran cold as he watched the scene before him.

"S-Stella...?" he panicked as he watched her lay in the middle of the room and on a bed, with a man on top of her. Brandon's eyes remained wide as his chest tightened. He looked around the floor where clothes were scattered messily about. The dress she just wore to the party was ripped to shreds as she lay underneath in the skimpiest underwear.

Reality slapped him in the face the second he realized what was going on in here.

"WHAT THE _FUCK?!_ " he cursed before marching fully inside. He growled before grabbing the bastard by the neck and hurling him backwards. " _You BASTARD,"_ Brandon seethed with rage dripping from his tone. The moron was drunk (thankfully). He slurred madly as he tried to stand up again. Brandon grabbed his collar before aiming a punch straight to his face.

"Stella!" Brandon cried before hovering over her in total panic. The blonde was unmoving as her eyes remained closed. "Oh my god..." he whispered over and over. He raised her body up before patting her cheek to wake her up. "Stella, wake up!" he yelled in panic before he placed his ear near her chest to hear her heartbeat. To his immense relief, her heart rate was a little faster than normal, but she was fine. He instantly took off his jacket. She was left in a creme/nude strapless bra and matching underwear. He adjusted the bra and pulled it up slightly before covering her with the jacket. He zipped it up completely before buttoning them as well.

He pulled out his phone before texting Musa and Tecna to come upstairs.

Minutes later, they entered the room with displeased complaints. "It's a madhouse out there!" Musa snorted before coming inside.

The girls suddenly shrieked in surprise when they saw a random dude on the floor.

"Girls, it's okay," Brandon went up to them before patting their backs. He explained what happened here as briefly and as quickly as he could. "I need your help in getting downstairs. Is there another exit out of here?"

Tecna nodded. "Yeah, I think I saw fire exit on our way here."

Brandon nodded gratefully. "I'm taking her home. Be careful, okay? Go and join the guys," he warned them strictly before they nodded, still a little shaken by tonight's events.

* * *

 _ **Thirty minutes later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 12:30 AM ~**

He watched her sleep with a deep look of betrayal and injury. Her face never ceased to lull him into peace but not tonight. His heart still raced and felt like it would pop out of his chest at any second because of what could have happened to her or, rather, _because_ of her.

He stood at the door frame of the room and kept his eyes fixated on her, his dark brown eyes refusing to move anywhere else. His heart thudded with fright and beat just as fast as it did a while ago. He could barely keep his fingers from shaking as he drove. He could barely register what just happened.

He told his parents that he was going to leave. He dropped by the house to change out of his tux because, _come on_ , a formal tux will look a little ridiculous and a lot out-of-place in a disco bar.

And the second he enters the venue, he sees this girl in a random dude's arms.

Brandon's heart couldn't stop somersaulting as he struggled to breathe. He honestly didn't want to think about what could've happened if he had reached there even a _second_ late. At the rate he went, he was reduced to seeing her in the littlest of clothes. Her body was just exposed to _another_ male other than him. She was just kissed by _another_ male other than him. She was just molested in god-knows-what ways by _another_ male other than him.

His breath caught in his throat as it choked him. His chest tightened with each second he kept his eyes on her.

The second he brought her home, he took a few alcoholic, hot wet wipes and cleaned (practically scrubbed) her body from head to toe because he could _NOT_ bear the thought of another man's lips and fingers venturing into places that only he had access to.

Unable to look at her any longer, he closed the door behind him and stepped outside. He went out into the hallway before leaning against the railing. His eyes were neutral and devoid of any emotion as the storm in his heart waged on, crippling and sinking the voyage of emotions he felt up until a few hours ago at the birthday party.

* * *

 **~ The Next Day - Afternoon - 1:30 PM ~**

A sleepy groan left her lips as she rolled over on the bed sleepily. Stella sighed and felt the morning light prick her face as she buried her face deep into her pillow. She moaned in pain when the light hit her eyelids. "Why is it so bright?!" she nearly screamed but cried out immediately in pain when her head throbbed.

She looked at the clock and gasped when it was almost TWO IN THE AFTERNOON?!

"WHAT?!" she nearly screeched before bolting straight up. She was hit with another bolt of nerve-stretching pain. "Ahh!"

"Ow, ow, ow," she whispered to herself in immense pain before raising her head up sleepily. She clutched her head before slowly sitting up. She felt as if a large, heavy-weight bowling ball has been placed on top of her head. She felt so heavy but also super tired. She looked down at herself and saw that she was in one of Brandon's shirts.

She eyed the shirt in confusion before slowly getting up from the bed. She went straight to the bathroom but had to keep herself from falling because her legs felt so wobbly and heavy as hell. She washed her face, not understanding why she had a severe migraine.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile**_ **...**

Brandon sat in the living room on one of the sofa couches. He still hasn't changed from last clothes. His hair was wild and messy, but right now, he really didn't care.

He sat upright when he heard some shuffling and movement from upstairs. _So, she's up,_ he scowled. His face immediately hardened into a deep frown as his hands struggling not to clench themselves with fists.

Minutes later, he heard the pitter patter of feet on the staircase before he saw Stella out of his peripheral vision.

He kept his eyes ahead with a neutral expression.

The blonde smiled softly when she saw him on the couch. "Hi," she greeted him.

"Good morning," she sleepily waved to him. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" She sat beside him in a plop while muttering something about a headache. "What happened last night?" she yawned.

 _You nearly killed me. That's what happened,_ he thought sourly but didn't say anything. Instead, he stared dead ahead with a blank stare.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, keeping her voice as low as possible to limit the severity of the hangover. He was dressed in a black muscle tee and black jeans but his hair was touseled.

"No," he answered. He resisted the urge to scoff at her.

 _She absolutely had NO idea what happened since last night, now, did she?!_

"Oh. Then what are you doing?" she asked curiously before leaning her head against his shoulder. Brandon's eyes shut close for a long moment when he felt her head touch his skin. The contact felt like hot, scorching lava running through his veins and he resisted the urge to shake it off.

"Oh. Just finished watching a show on the TV," he replied quietly, barely able to keep the low growl out of his voice.

"What show?" she asked in a low voice. Her head was aching and she felt like going back to sleep.

"Channel 93," he replied before handing her the remote beside him. "You might wanna watch it too."

"No, I'll do it later," she yawned painfully and clutched her head. "My head hurts soooo bad," she winced.

"No, I insist. It's a pretty good show and it's been airing all morning. You might want to raise the volume up though."

"Oh okay," she sighed. She turned the TV on. She turned the volume up before hitting the numbers '9' and '3'.

 _"NEWEST MINDBLOWING DISCOVERY! Brandon Shields, one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the 21st century, attended his 25th birthday bash just hours ago! Aren't we happy?! Oh...but...wait for it...sadly, rumors have it that his wife, Stella Shields, has been caught red-handed in the jaws of infidelity!"_

Stella's eyes widened to the point of bulging out of their sockets. _WHAT?!_

She stood up slowly as she processed in the burning headlines scrolling through the news channel in unmistakenable, bold red letters.

Stella covered her mouth in shock with both of her hands before tears erupted in her eyes. She didn't tear her eyes from the channel's current trending topic.

The news headline shifted upwards as images popped up in the middle of the screen. Stella gasped and nearly shrieked in terror before lightly blurried pictures of _her_ in _another_ man's arms covered the screen. Brandon saw that it was the exact visual of her when he saw her from downstairs.

The images only showed a blurred partial side of her face. Those who know her would definitely know that it was her. Her blonde hair was strikingly familiar and so is that dress she wore last night.

 _"See for yourself, ladies and gentlemen! Now the million dollar question is: how thin of a thread is the young couple's marriage hanging on?"_

Brandon remained seated on the couch as he stared at Stella, who looked clueless out of her mind. Of course, she would be clueless. It's not like she had a drop or two of alcohol. Who knows how many drinks this traitor downed?!

He crossed a leg over the other while spreading his arms on the couch.

Stella felt like her heart stopped and her world just came to an end. She shakily turned to Brandon before seeing that his eyes were already on her.

She instantly slumped down next to him and grabbed his arm. "Brandon! I swear I don't know what they're talking about. I really don't," she cried.

"You don't know what they're talking about..." he nodded slightly before standing up. He took the remote from her slowly before lazily tossing it from one hand to another. He stared at her and then back at the TV before his eyes shifted to that of a ferocious beast.

As fast as lightning and unable to keep his feelings in check any longer, with an angry growl, he hurled the remote across the room. Stella screamed in shock and stood up with a bolt as the black electronic device slammed itself against a wall and fell to the floor in shattered pieces.

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "Brandon...?" she sniffled, ignoring her pounding headache from the hangover. She reached for him but he turned to her with a viscious glare on his face.

"Don't you _fucking_ touch me!" he growled in disgust before swatting her hand away.

"Please d-don't say that," she cried. "I didn't mean to-"

 _"SHUT UP!"_ he yelled, making her jump in fear. "You were about to _fuck_ another guy right in front of my eyes! And now you have the nerve to say to me that you don't know anything?!"

"W-What...?" she whispered in shock.

"Do you have _ANY_ idea how I found you last night?!" he yelled. "You were almost naked. That's _HOW_ I found you!" He had to bite his tongue to stop himself from calling her a _whore_ right now but he knew that he'll regret it so much later.

She stared at him unmovingly with wide eyes. _W-W-What...?_ she thought in horror. She felt as if she's going to pass out any second. No! It can't be true! It can't be!

"I have no reason to lie to your face," he growled at the conflicting emotions on her face. She didn't believe him. _Heh. The IRONY._ He should be the one having trouble believing her.

"NO! You're lying!" she cried angrily.

"Me? Lying?!" he hissed at her audacity to yell back at him. "Then do YOU remember what happened last night?!"

She racked her mind to think hard of something but her brain was blank. _Blank._

 _NOTHING._ She bowed her head down ashamed and horrified as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I...I really don't remember..."

He scoffed. "You _don't_ remember?!" He glared at the voices from the TV. "See that?" he hissed while pointing to the TV. "Let _THEM_ jog your memory!"

He grabbed her face and turned it forcibly to face the TV. She watched with unblinking eyes as the news reports flashed over and over again, creating hype and drama.

"You're _STILL_ going to tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about?!" he yelled.

She turned to him again as the nightmare turned to reality. He gave her a death glare. Her heart broke at the sheer hate in his eyes for her. With tears streaming down her cheeks in messy droplets, she let out a choked sob. "Brandon, please! You have to believe me! I really don't know what happened last night," she sobbed.

"Please believe me..." she begged while reaching for him.

"Stella, stop _fucking_ touching me. I don't want to hurt you, so stay the _hell_ away from me," he hissed angrily before throwing her a hateful glare.

"B-Brandon, p-p-please, I would never cheat on you-" she tried again with a thick, choked voice but he interrupted her again.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. Until last night!" he yelled angrily.

She took a step towards him but he instantly held up his hand before taking a large step backwards.

"Why? Why did you do this to me?!" he whispered hatefully while tears spun in his own brown irises.

"Brandon..." she cried. "Please. I would never do that to you."

"Don't you believe me?" she cried, ignoring the excruciating way her head throbbed from last night's apparent hangover.

"Brandon...I would never cheat on you," Stella cried as he slumped into the sofa with his head in his hands.

Tears wet his cheeks but he didn't care. "You almost did, Stella. If I hadn't been there, you would've fucked that bastard all night," he hissed angrily.

"NO! Please believe me," she sobbed. "Please. I love you. I would never do that to you or _us."_

"What would you have done if it was me who did this?" he grabbed her by the collar, letting her see his betrayed and wounded eyes. His eyes glistened with angry tears while she cried. "Would _you_ have forgiven me?" he asked with a heated whisper. "WOULD YOU?!"

"I'm s-sorry," she hiccuped miserably. "I would never cheat on you, Brandon," she sobbed, repeating the same sentence over and over again. "Please believe me," she begged as she cried.

"I won't," he cut her off firmly. "Why should _I?!_ Would _YOU_ believe me if it was the other way around? You would've dumped my ass in the first second! Tell me why I shouldn't do the same to you," he taunted as he crossed his arms angrily.

A long silence ensued the house as they both locked their eyes with each other. Brandon's glare was fiercely venomous while Stella's was pleading and miserable.

Finding her silent only made him angrier. His face grew red, his veins started to pulse with more blood, and his overall body started to shake from the _rage._

His wrathful fury grew cancerously like fungus within his body. His rage was enveloped by heartbreak as he struggled to breathe.

"You've always been my priority," he whispered. "I always protected you and I loved you with everything I have," he continued with wounded treachery in his voice and eyes. "Is a little loyalty too much to ask?"

"Brandon...I am loyal to you," Stella sobbed sorrowfully. "Please. I really don't know-"

" _LOYAL?_ I found you in a BED with a bastard on TOP of you! One more second and you would've been..." he trailed off as his chest rose and fell rapidly. "You still want to tell me that it's different than it looks?!" he snarled. " _ **WHY** _should I believe you?! Why should I believe that you're loyal!" he yelled madly. "WHERE IS THE PROOF THAT YOU EVEN LOVE ME?!"

"Because I can't live without you!" she sobbed while throwing her arms around him. She didn't care if he hurt her or slapped her for this.

His body instantly stiffened as she knocked the wind out of his lungs. She clutched his torso for dear life as she sobbed deep into his chest. She kept crying like an insane loon. She hugged him so tightly, telling him how much she needed him and how she'll never let him go.

His eyes misted over as he felt her against him. All the memories he made with her, everything he said to her, their dates, their hugs, their kisses, and the passionate nights they made love to each other hit him with a ferocity by her touch.

Finding him silent and lean into her slowly, Stella thought he was going to believe her. That he was going to hug her back and tell her that it was okay. That everything is going to be okay.

She thought everything was going to be okay eventually but her heart shattered when he abruptly reached out by her shoulders before pushing her away from him.

"I said, _DON'T TOUCH ME!_ " he yelled angrily as she stumbled backwards. She winced in pain and emotional heartbreak, the latter being the worst.

She felt her heart crumble into a million times as a lone tear slid down his cheek. He slumped down in the sofa behind him as his knees gave away for the _SECOND_ ever time in his life. "Brandon!" she breathed while going towards him. She slumped down on her knees before falling at his feet.

"Please. Please!" she sobbed before tugging at his knee. He looked dead as he stared ahead into nothing. Hearing her hysterical cries, he looked down to see her on the floor, gathered at his feet.

"Please believe me. I love you! I would rather die than cheat on you!" she cried against his knee before starting to slam her head against his knee in desperation to wake up from his horrifying nightmare.

His eyes widened as he watched her injure herself against him. His hand reached down to stop her head from slamming to him repeatedly.

She looked up from him, surprised that he touched her. Tears fell down her cheeks and rolled rapidly down her cheeks.

Watching her cry made his world shatter. She was his entire world and entire universe. It broke him to see her in _that_ state. His hands reached down as he cupped her face between his hands before plastering his forehead to hers. "I've been going insane since yesterday, Stella," he confessed, letting her see the immeasurable bitter pain radiating from his eyes.

Stella's eyes turned into liquid golden crystals as she listened to his broken words.

"Stell...since the first time we got together, I never suspected that you would _ever_ cheat on me. You've accused me of it before, but I never even thought of something like that," he said with a sad voice. "And today...seeing you in the headlines in the arms of another man, do you really think that I'm overreacting?"

His eyes glistened when she averted her eyes away from him. "I don't want silence. I want answers," he stated. She glanced up at him again. Her voice died a long time ago in her throat because she honestly had nothing to say. She didn't remember anything and she really had no clue of what she did.

"If I step out _right now,_ people will literally ask me when we're heading for a divorce."

Her eyes widened as she silently pleaded him not to do this to her. He watched her terrified emotions flash back and forth on her face. She whimpered brokenly in his hold as she begged to not leave her.

"What do you want me to tell them?" he asked. "Hmm?"

...

 _Silence._

 _..._

"Okay. How about this? Okay. Let's forget about the headlines. Let's forget about the TV and all of that. _WHY_ did I have to catch you in that position?" he asked.

She cried, not having an answer to _any_ of his questions. No, he wasn't overreacting. He was _perfect_ with his questions. He didn't toss wild accusations at her without evidence to back himself up. Any significant other would react this way.

Brandon kept his eyes on her, refusing to even take a break to at least _blink._ Seeing her cry her soul out...it pricked his heart. He felt like murdering anyone who makes this girl cry, but to realize that it was _him_ who was making her cry...he didn't know what to think.

"Stella, look at me," he commanded softly. She glanced up at him shakily, awaiting the inevitable. They were done. This was it. She crossed a limit. She crossed a line that she _cannot_ uncross.

"More than anything and anyone in this world, I love you and I trust you the most," he said softly while letting out another single droplet of tear stain his cheek.

"And that's what I'll do right now as well," he sniffled as he glanced deeply into her glistening ambers. She sat by his feet and listened with bated breaths.

He took a deep breath before speaking. Pointing towards the TV, he asked, "Tell me...tell me that none of this is true. Tell me that all of this happened without your intentions. Just tell me that whatever I saw in that room is not true. And I'll forget any of this ever happened."

"I swear, Brandon. I swear that I-"

"No explanations." He placed a finger to her lips, shushing her instantly. "Yes or no?" he asked quietly. "Was it true or not? That's all I need to know."

"...No," she cried. She hugged his leg before resting her head on his knee. "No, no, no!"

His eyes watered as he patted through her hair. He didn't know what he would've done if she really did...go through that.

Her cries echoed through his ears in reverberating waves. _NO._

 _She said NO._

His ray of sunshine said _NO._

 _She said NO._

"Okay," he replied before getting off the couch and joining her on the floor. "I believe you." She gasped at his words before staring wide-eyed at him.

He grabbed her into a hug all of a sudden before crying into her shoulder. Feeling him shake, her eyes widened to the point of disbelief. He was probably one of the strongest men she ever encountered in her life. To hear him sniffle and that too, _because_ of her, she didn't know what to do. She felt like dying. "Brandon, please. Please. I would never do anything to jeopardize us," she sobbed while lifting his face up. His eyes held tears of heartbreak, a couple of them wetting his cheeks.

"I love you, Stella," he confessed. "Please don't leave me, baby," he sniffled before hiding his face between his hands. He let her go and faced the front before bending his head in order to hide his own pain. He didn't want her to see him like this. He had always been her source of strength and rarely cried in front of her. He never usually cried, but...he couldn't keep this in.

He didn't know what to feel right now. All he knew is that he felt... _relief._ He didn't want to doubt this woman. There was just _no_ way his ray of sunshine would _EVER_ do something like this. She won't betray him. She just won't. But he needed to hear this from her. Her eyes held honesty as she begged for him to believe her.

He's been going insane all night. He didn't even sleep for an hour. He was sitting in the same exact position like a deranged patient. He didn't know what would happen if she had somehow said yes against all odds. He would die. That's for sure. Or, he'd sink himself so far into the depths of insanity that he'll forget himself.

He used his sleeves to free his face from any moisture. He took a couple of deep breaths. Turning to her, he saw that she was still crying and pleading for him to trust her. "Shh, come here," he said before pulling her close. "I believe you, Sunshine. I don't care what I saw. I don't care what those news scrolls show me. I'll believe you."

Hearing those words, Stella closed her eyes before letting out another cry of joy and relief. He pulled back just enough to wipe her tear stains away.

They stayed in each other's arms before breaking down in each other's arms.

It took a long time for them to accept the reality. It took them a long time to accept the fact that Stella was innocent. He believed her.

He believed her.

A long while later, he pulled back from her after wiping his face from moisture. She whimpered and refused to let go of him.

"Do you feel okay?" he asked with a light sniffle.

Stella closed her eyes as her headache grew to the point where it's becoming difficult to endure the pain. But she nodded anyway with watery eyes. "You have a headache, don't you?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low whisper. She probably has the worst kind of hangover right now and them yelling and shouting at each other for the past one hour doesn't really help her situation.

"It's fine," she sniffled before he gently let his fingers run through her hair. He freed the occasional tangles before resuming.

"No, it isn't. Get some rest for a few hours. You won't feel better until tomorrow," he stated.

"Brandon...I'm so sorry," Stella sobbed all of a sudden. She didn't what she did to deserve such a man. Only a total fool would be okay with something like this. Who, in this generation, would believe her?

She would be seen as a whore, a heartless little _bitch_ who plays with other people's emotions. She would seen as a gold-digger who has nothing to do in her life except be _sadistical_ to people's emotions.

He kissed the top of her head but didn't say anything back until after a long moment. "...I know you are," he replied quietly. "Forget about it. We'll talk later when you feel better."

His gentle ministrations and occasional kisses he planted on her cheek and forehead made her feel like this is reality again. Due to that, his slow, relaxing actions made her feel sleepy in his arms. She jerked herself awake immediately before rubbing her eyes. Seeing her restrict herself, he silently spoke. "Go to sleep if you have to," he chided her. She shook her head, earning another glare from him. "Stella, stop being stubborn. Go. _To. SLEEP,"_ he ordered with authority.

He picked her up bridal style immediately before she buried her head deep into the crook of his neck. She soaked his shirt with her tears as he carried her upstairs. Reaching for their bedroom, he opened the partially opened door with his foot.

He instantly made his way to the bed before holding her close for a long moment. He set her down on the mattress after a while.

"Get some rest, okay?" he whisperedly sadly before gently pulling up the covers.

"Please don't go..." she pleaded before sitting up once more. "Please."

He sighed before sitting down at the edge of the bed. Caressing her face, his thumbs gently wiped away the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please believe me, Brandon," she begged.

He remained silent and still for a long moment before letting out an exhale. "To be honest, I never doubted you in the first place," he said quietly. He never really did. He was just too angry and upset to register. She was unconscious when he found her. But one fact still remained. "But...Stella, I _CAN'T_ forget what happened. I'm still shaking from the way I found you last night," he said before placing a palm over his chest.

"B-Brandon-" she started but was interrupted again.

"Why would you get drunk in the first place?!" he asked incredulously, raising his voice again. "Stella, I can tolerate any stupid thing you do but _NOT_ something like this. You told Musa that you weren't feeling well and you never came home."

"I was telling the truth!" she protested with more tears. "I didn't feel too well after the drink she gave me and..." she sniffled, trailing off. She honestly didn't know what to say. She would've been traumatized too if _she_ found him like _that_!

He sighed. "You should've been more careful," he said. He stopped momentarily when her words played through his mind. "Wait. Who gave you a drink? Musa?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. She felt pressured by _MUSA?! MUSA?!_

"No. Um...she said that she works with you. That she's your colleague," Stella said.

 _What?!_ His eyebrows shot up to the roof in disbelief. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?! So you'll trust any freaking stranger that comes up to you without an identity?!" he shouted.

She winced at his tone before clutching her ears in pain. "It's because I met her before!" Stella said with watery eyes. "We met at the first gala. So, I assumed that you know her well-"

"Wait. Who the hell are you talking about?! Don't say it's Lisa because she was with me the whole time."

"I don't know! She said her name was Rose and I recognized her!" Stella said.

"Who the heck is Rose?!" he asked incredulously. There probably is a 'Rose' in his company, but he didn't know her personally. The people he usually associated himself without did _not_ including a 'Rose'.

"I don't know, okay?!"

"Don't yell at me for your mistakes," he warned. "Own up to your damn actions because I wasn't the one who told you to drink!" he yelled.

She winced again in pain before mumbling a low-voiced apology. "I'm sorry," she cried.

"Just...go to sleep," he said.

"Brandon...please don't be that way to me. I really thought that this Rose was your employee or your friend," Stella cried defensively.

"I'll talk about how stupid of a move that was later. But, Stella... _WHY_ did you drink? Why?" he asked softly.

"But I didn't," Stella hiccuped as she let out another choked sob. "It was orange juice and I thought that I..." she trailed, crying into her hands.

"W-What...?" he blinked in shock. "You drank orange juice? Not alcohol...?"

"No," she sobbed as her body shook.

Stella heard him letting out a deep breath. There were so many emotions traveling around his face as he blinked a few times, trying to process what the blonde just told him.

"You didn't drink...? Not even a sip?" he asked again, just to make sure. Stella shook her head with watery eyes.

He cursed under his breath but the rage he felt earlier was no longer existent. Instead, he was just...relieved. _IMMENSELY relieved._ NOW he _KNEW_ for a fact that she was not responsible for her actions anymore.

It took him some time for reality to sink in _but_ the Stella he knew would never drink. Even if she chose to, she would never do it in such risky places.

His eyes softened immensely as she cried. She clutched her head before hunching over in pain. He instantly wrapped his hands around her frail body before pulling her close. "I'm sorry, okay? I believe you, beautiful. I believe you," he murmured against her cheek before telling her to stop crying. It will just make her headache worse.

He stood up a second later and let go of her. She whimpered and refused to let go of him before he assured her that he'll be back soon.

Minutes later, he entered the room with a water filter. She buried her head into her lap and continued to sniffle. He placed the filter aside before lifting her head up.

She hiccuped as he gave her a glass of water. "Here," he softly said before taking out a bottle of aspirin pills. "Take one and you'll feel better."

She shook her head before placing it on the table beside her. She drew her knees to her chest and buried her head in between her knees.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders before nudging her to get over it. "Stell, don't. I told you that I _WILL_ forget and-"

"Will we ever be normal?" she hiccuped a small cry. "Do you...do you hate me...?" she continued to cry.

"Do you really think that I can live with hating you?" he asked with his own tears. "And we are being normal, Sunshine. In order for me to forget, you have to forget it yourself. In a few days, I'll just think of this as nothing more than my worst nightmare. That's all," he told her.

"Please," he asked.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed over and over again. "I'll do _anything_ you say and _-"_

"Shut up. You not doing anything is a gift to me right now," he interrupted before rubbing her back up and down. She suddenly winced and jerked with a gasp in his arms, making him let go of her all of a sudden.

"What happened?" he asked puzzled but noticed that she looked sad and...in _pain._ He stared at her confused.

Stella bit her lip and touched her back, not understanding why she felt abrupt pain at one spot. She looked at him, who instantly turned red with anger again before standing up and sitting behind her. "What now?!" he growled before grabbing of her shirt.

He pulled it up with a swift tug. His eyes widened in horror when he saw an ugly purplish-red bruise on her back.

"Stella, why do you have a bruise on your back?" he asked in a deathly calm tone. Despite knowing him for a year or two, she still gulped at the screeching fury in his voice. Oh, he was more than pissed right now. She can say that she pitied the unfortunate soul who had to be in his way, but...unfortunately for her, she was the unfortunate soul.

"I don't know," she sniffled and replied in a hoarse voice.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, clearly pissed off. He scooted forward a little before tracing his chilly fingers on her skin. The wound looked very deep as the center areas appeared blackened. She sucked in a small gasp before biting her lip. It wasn't unbearable but it was painful.

"If only you had just listened to me yesterday..." he sighed before letting her go. "Take your shirt off. I'm going to get some medicine."

She did as she was told before he stood up to go to the bathroom. He raided the cabinets behind the mirror for a first-aid box before waltzing into the bedroom once more.

He opened the kit before taking out a bottle of liquid and cotton. He slid his fingers across the injury before she gasped and winced.

"Stop moving," he told her before gently dabbing the bruise with disinfectant-filled cotton ball. She winced in pain and suddenly jerked forward when he pressed deeply into the wound.

"S-Stop," she breathed while pushing his hand away.

"Not yet," he countered before wrapping an arm from behind and around her midriff to keep her still and unmoving. "It's okay," he told her in comfort.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he frowned while inspecting every inch of her body. She shook her head before taking the shirt to put it back on.

He closed the kit before placing it aside. He told her to get some rest before gently pushing her back down on the bed. His lips stroked her forehead softly before pulling back. "Please forgive me," she hiccuped as a tear slid down to the side of her face before wetting a few strands of her hair.

He bent down before hugging her body close to his. "You've done nothing wrong for me to forgive," he whispered. He kissed her so softly before resorting to stay with her until she fell asleep again.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

He went to check on her a couple of hours later. She stayed awake for a few hours after that but her headache still remained. She continued to cry even after hours and it took him a long time to subdue her.

The longer she cried for, the more and more convinced he came that she was _really_ (and thankfully) _innocent._ What more could he ask for right now?

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 12:00 AM ~**

Brandon entered the room once more before his heart felt coated with peace. He kept his eyes on the bed where Stella was passed out in the middle of the bed. He suppressed a small smile when he saw her wearing his sweater which hugged her till her mid-thighs. She was laying down in a fetal position, sleeping on one side with her legs curled up all the way till her chest.

He checked the time and saw that it was well past ten at night. He was tired as hell as well, but rather than physical, he was mentally exhausted. Today has just been one of the scariest, if not the only, days of his life.

He kept his eyes fixated on her as she slept obliviously to his gaze.

A small, disturbed crease formed in between her eyebrows. Reaching down, he kissed the little space between her brows before pulling back. He grabbed a fresh set of clothes from his closet before heading to the bathroom, all the while making sure that he didn't make a single sound. He didn't want to wake her up. They both had a bad day and it pained him the most to remember the tears she shed today at the expense of his anger.

Emerging into the room once again, his eyes fixated onto her like a magnet. He walked over to her before sitting on the bed. He frowned at the thin layer of sweat forming on her forehead. He reached over for the AC remote before pushing the temperature down by a few notches. Sliding in beside her, he pulled up the covers over both of them.

She limply lay against him as he held her close. All he wanted for a simple and quiet weekend with her. But instead, _this_ happens. He sighed, knowing that despite whatever he said to her a few hours ago, there's no way in _hell_ he'll forget this any time soon. He believed her but...she still almost did it. Didn't she?

Whether or not her actions were intentional, if he hadn't shown up, she would've woken up naked and next to a stranger. She would've spent the night with another man. The mere thought of _another_ man laying his fingers on Stella brewed Brandon's blood to a steaming boil.

She was his and no one will _ever_ take this woman away from him ever again. He made a costly mistake of that once and suffered through a million kinds of hell for one whole year. He wasn't about to lose her again and toss her to another man. _HELL. NO._

He fell asleep shortly after but with an unsettling feeling.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 9:00 AM ~**

"Breakfast!" he smiled at her with a wide grin. He entered the room to see her emerging from the bathroom.

Stella blinked before sleepily walking over to him and rubbing her eyes. "I'm hallucinating, aren't I?" she asked him before poking him. "You're actually yelling at me, so why does it look like you're smiling?" she asked herself while peering closely at his face.

He tossed her a half-lidded, dry look. _"Really?"_

She shrugged in response.

He watched her eat with a small smile in his face. _THIS_ was what their weekend should've been. Filled with fun, games, laughter, and...nights filled with _passionate_ _M-rated_ events, in his opinion. Right now, he felt deprived of all of that, especially the last one.

* * *

 _ **A short while later...**_

They stayed in bed for a long time before Brandon brought up the topic that's been weighing down in his mind since yesterday.

"Sunshine...I need to go to work," he said quietly.

She turned to him with her eyes full of fear and imminent heartbreak.

"Calm down. This is something that I have to do. I need to solve this issue and-"

"Why you? I'm the one who created it. Let me come with you-" she started with tears in her eyes.

"You'll do _NO_ such thing," he growled. "I'll let you come with me when it's the right time but not right now."

Tears fell from her cheeks as she hid her face in between her face.

"...I promise you. I swear to you on my life. I will protect you," he vowed to her before holding her close.

 _He only hoped that he can keep that promise._

* * *

A repeated, layered chorus of his name from the paparazzi irritated him as he grumbled under his breath. It hasn't even been two minutes since he parked his car in the parking lot. It has literally been _SECONDS_ since he stepped into the company building before he was ambushed. He covered his eyes in irritation at the cameras going off on his face.

 _"Dr. Shields!"_

 _"Please wait!"_

 _"Dr. Shields, please give us your statement!"_

The camera people and journalists flocked around him, much like how bugs gather around a sweet-scented flower.

He looked in the distance where he saw that Lisa was just meters away and that she was rushing towards him frantically for support. He shot her a relieved, grateful smile as she joined by his side.

Lisa hugged him for support before whispering that she got him. He stopped walking for a second as he hugged her back. It didn't take long before the media surrounded him from all sides.

 _"Is it true?!"_

 _"People are wondering if you're getting a divorce! How much of that is true?!"_

 _"Are you indeed giving a divorce to your wife who's been caught in a cheating scandal?!"_

Unable to keep his cool, Brandon's eyes flared angrily. "ENOUGH!" he yelled, silencing everyone immediately with his deep voice.

"You're the media. Use it to help the public and STOP using it for your damn publicity!" he yelled angrily. "Why does the country or YOU care about _MY WIFE?!"_

 _"Cheating scandal?!"_ he growled before addressing each of them. "You're the ones who made it a scandal! We're not getting a divorce and she certainly did _NOT_ cheat on me-"

"Explain the photos then," someone chimed in with mockery.

"Are you married?" Brandon asked in return.

"No," the male journalist replied with a haughty scoff.

"Then you obviously wouldn't know, so it's a waste of _MY_ time to explain it to you."

"Excuse me?!" the journalist defended himself, obviously offended at being humiliated in public.

Brandon didn't choose to respond to him directly. Instead, he turned to everyone before speaking. "I trust my wife," Brandon said defiantly. "Because of YOUR tabloids, she's been receiving mental harassment all day. What is wrong with you?!" he yelled, unable to keep the rage out of his tone.

"I _WILL_ find out whoever is responsible for this," Brandon threatened. "I'm warning all of you. _STAY AWAY_ from my personal life or I _WILL_ sue each and every one of you for defamation," he snapped angrily. "What happens to me or my family is _none_ of your business."

"Lisa, take note of the media companies that came here today," he hissed angrily to his secretary. "And if another article comes up about Stella, initiate lawful charges against that company."

"Of course, sir," Lisa said obediently before casting a glare at each of them.

Brandon moved to push past everyone but not before addressing all of them with one last thing. " _Shame_ on each and every one of you," he scoffed before giving each and every one of them a death glare. He knew he'll probably be backlashed for this but he _DIDN'T_ care. He didn't.

He was defending the woman he love and _NO ONE_ had a right to comment on her except for himself.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 3:00 PM ~**

He entered the house before slamming the door shut behind him. To his pleasant surprise, the blonde was curled up in a sitting position in the living room.

"You're not going to Princeton anymore," he officially declared. "You're going to sit your little butt in this house every damn day and never step out in your life again."

"I don't want to go either," she mumbled before sinking further into the sofa's cushion.

He raised an eyebrow at that response. "Uh...I was just joking earlier. If you're not gonna leave, then I'll just have to kick you out," he smirked.

"...I'm surprised you still haven't," she softly said. His eyes softened before he took off his suit jacket and approached her. He sat beside her before pressing his lips against her temple.

"I would never do that to you," he said. "You know that." He traced the contours of her cheek with the back of his hand before lowering down to squeeze her waist.

"I don't know if I can face this alone," she mumbled. She hugged him tightly before pressing her face deep into his chest, never wanting to leave and never wanting to let go of them. She didn't know if she can face such a sinful accusation all by herself.

She has seen the interview on TV and she was surprised to see so many people interested in her love life. _WHY_ can't they just mind their own damn business?! A tear slid down her cheek as she sniffled with guilt succeeded by trauma.

A long silence passed between them as the aftermath of their actions caught up to them.

"Stel?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled doozily in his arms. She interwined one of her hands with his and started to play with his fingers. His next words caused her to stop her movements instantly as she gaped up at him.

"...What if I come with you?" he finally asked out of the blue which made her eyes pop open at his words as he locked his gaze with hers.

* * *

 _ **Ten days later...**_

It was unexpected. It was out of the blue. It was downright _zany_ but the words spoken to her on that night made an impact on the following days.

The couple went to Brandon's parents to clear up certain issues. They all agreed that it was probably for the best for the young couple to stay together. Their family and friends supported them and assured them both their unwavering trust, which Stella will probably be eternally grateful for.

They both had a long discussion for the night, wondering if it was really possible for Brandon to move here for the next few months. Stella grew skeptical and a little worried about the move, but Brandon assured her that he'll take care of everything and that she shouldn't worry about anything else right now other than her studies. She was just a few months away from graduating and her studies are the most crucial part of her life right now. She didn't need to worry about other nonsense.

And so, after much discussion, it was decided. They picked a fully-furnished, short-term rental house. With Jay's help _(again),_ they rented and moved into their new house.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's New House, New Jersey - 5:00 PM ~**

"Brandon, today's your turn to wash the _dishesss_!" Stella screeched before trying to pull him up from the couch. She stood in front of the TV, blocking his vision.

"Shut up, Stella, and let me watch my game," he sighed in irritation before pushing her aside.

"Brandon, GET UP!" Stella groaned. "Pleaseeeeee! We have to make dinner soon!"

With a glare, he stood up. "But I hate doing dishes," Brandon grumbled before stomping towards the kitchen.

"Well, I'm not having a goddamn affair with them either, so get your ass in there," Stella snapped.

He scoffed from the kitchen while she changed the channel to something of her liking. She never understood sports.

"I've to still get used to this," Stella sighed in bliss.

"This house is definitely smaller than ours," he commented from the kitchen while looking around. "I miss my gym."

He signed up for a regular membership at the nearest gym in the city. Obviously, being the fitness freak he is, he refused to let go of his habit of working out.

After hearing him say that, she stood up and went to the kitchen. "Do you regret it?" Stella asked with a small frown.

He shook his head. "Not really, but it would be nicer to have a bigger place for ourselves."

There was only one room for them each, not that they needed separate rooms, but still. However, seeing that Stella only had a little over three months before graduation, they didn't really care much for luxury.

* * *

 _ **The same night...**_

"Stel?" he called out from their bedroom before unbuttoning his shirt.

"Comingggg!" he heard her sing before hopping into the bedroom seconds later. "Yeah?" she asked.

"What time does college end for you tomorrow?" he asked while picking up his phone from the nightstand.

"Um...four? Why?" she asked.

"I have to run back home tomorrow for something, but I'll see you in the evening, okay?"

Stella's eyes widened. "What? Are you serious?"

"Yeah...I just forgot to do something before leaving."

"Um...okay," she said a little unsurely. She nodded before she left to do whatever she was doing before he interrupted her.

She couldn't dissolve that nagging conscious in the back of her mind. She frowned as she kept thinking over what he said.

* * *

 _ **A short while later...**_

"Brandon...?"

He was on the bed, working on something in his laptop. He lifted his head to see Stella approaching him with a small frown on her face. His expression soon mimicked hers as his body kicked into an overprotective mode. "What's wrong?"

She sat at the edge of the bed beside him. "Are you sure you don't really regret anything?" she bit her lip while asking.

"...About moving...?" he asked.

She nodded with a small frown. "Yeah..."

He grasped her chin to emphasize his point. "If we hadn't broken up...then we would've still been here, remember?" he asked in nostalgia.

"I suppose you're right..." Stella smiled at the good ol' times.

"Then there's nothing to regret," he assured her.

She smiled before he pulled her into an affectionate hug. _He just always knew what to say._

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 8:00 AM ~**

The next morning, Stella saw that the bed was unoccupied except for her. She sat up sleepily before reaching for her phone when she saw that a little note was attached to the nightstand. Taking it curiously, she flopped back onto the mattress before sighing softly.

 _Good morning, Sunshine! I made breakfast for you. Be safe. I'll see you in the evening. Love you :)_

She smiled at the little note but she still missed him. He left before she even woke up.

 _He bent and kissed her forehead as she slept in content. Sliding in beside her, he picked her up in his arms once more. "I love you," he whispered in her ear, knowing that it won't reach her. He held her in his arms for a few more minutes before resolving to get up. He picked himself up before gently placing her on the bed. She slept on her stomach, letting him see her bare back. Reaching down, he kissed her exposed shoulders before stroking her waist._

 _He pulled up the blankets to cover her body before picking up his keys, wallet, and phone. He grabbed his suit jacket before heading out and making sure to lock the door behind him._

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Brandon parked his car in the lot of his company before taking out his phone and texting a certain someone that he's on his way.

 _"Lisa, I need your help," he approached his personal assistant cautiously with a hesitant look._

 _Lisa gasped as she looked up from her desk. "BRANDON!? OH MY GOD!" she yelped in concern before rushing over to hug him. He hugged her back with a grateful smile before pulling back._

 _"I'm so sorry about that news," Lisa sighed. "Is Stella okay?"_

 _"You don't believe the news either?" he asked, a smile growing on his face._

 _"Since when do we EVER trust tabloids?" Lisa chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Are you okay? So, how are you guys really doing?"_

 _He took a deep breath before getting right into business._

 _"I need your help."_

He took the elevator and slammed on the top floor button before the doors closed moments later. He tapped his foot a little impatiently as he waited for the elevator to hurry up and stop at his destination.

 _"I need to know what happened in the club the other night," he stated affirmatively._

 _"What? How?" Lisa asked in confusion._

 _"Stella said that someone named Rose from our company introduced themselves to her. Stella said that this Rose or whatever appeared at the gala from a year and half ago."_

 _"So? There are probably plenty of Rose's in the company," Lisa remarked. "And besides, what does that have to do with anything? What's wrong with introducing themselves?"_

 _"Nothing except I have a VERY bad feeling about it. Lisa, please. I need to know who approached Stella on that night. We're thinking that her drink might've been drugged somehow."_

 _"Brandon, are you really serious? Do you realize how silly you sound right now? Stella was in a club. As harsh as this may sound, of course, there will be drugged drinks and spiked fruit punches!" Lisa stated incredulously._

The elevator door chimed, bringing him back to reality. The doors opened at the designated floor before he stepped out.

"Good morning, Dr. Shields," one of the employees greeted him with a smile.

"'Morning," Brandon wished absentmindedly while checking his phone.

He walked down the familiar hallway. He looked up to see his room but passed by it without a care. He checked the room numbers before a familiar one caught his eye. Without further delay, he picked up his pace and knocked on the door.

 _"Lisa. I don't know who it is but I WILL find the culprit responsible for getting Stella's name into tabloids. Messing with me was ONE thing but I won't sit around and watch the goddamn media write shit about her."_

Within moments, Lisa opened the door for him. Her eyes looked around carefully before hastily inviting him in. "Come on in," she said quietly. He entered the room before she locked it shut.

She sat down at her desk before hastily typing something into her computer.

"Lisa. Do you have something for me?" Brandon asked a little impatiently before sitting on opposite side of her desk.

"...I do. That's why I told you to come by as soon as you can. Anyways, I got in contact with a friend of mine in the police department to help me with this," Lisa bit her lip hesitantly.

"Okay. And?"

 _Lisa sighed. "Brandon, even if I want to, there's no way we can find out who it is. Those clubs are always dark as hell and we can't-"_

"We ran through the footage of the club's events that night and...Stella was telling the truth. They were both talking. And then the video does show of this woman ordering something from the bar and adding something extra into the drink. And then, she handed the drugged drink to Stella," Lisa stated with a sigh.

 _"Please," he asked softly before placing a palm on top of hers. "I'm not asking you as your boss. I'm begging you as a friend."_

"WHO?" Brandon growled.

 _Lisa sighed before looking down at his hand. "...Alright."_

Lisa took a deep breath before revealing the name. _"Skylar Black."_

Brandon instantly went rigid at the sound of her name. He turned as still as a statue the second the name rolled off Lisa's lips.

Stella's words echoed hauntingly in his ears as he blinked rapidly to process the situation.

 _"...she told me that she works with you..."_

 _"...she said her name was Rose and I recognized her..."_

Stella wasn't lying and neither was that Rose.

 _"Skylar...?"_ he whispered in disbelief and utter shock. He froze in his spot as he stared at Lisa, hoping against hope that she'll take her word back.

His mind darted back and forth between the events of the night of his birthday.

 _"...I have a headache. I have to go."_

Headache? _Yeah, right._

Brandon's heart constricted tightly as he struggled to breathe. He couldn't think straight. She was in front of his eyes the whole and he couldn't guess _THIS._

So...the person responsible for causing a panic and wreaking havoc was none other than...

 _Skylar Rose Black._

…

* * *

 _ **Previews for the upcoming chapters...**_

 _"Trust your gut, Stella. He doesn't love you."_

 _..._

 _"Come back to me. Leave her."_

 _..._

 _"You're right. I should've done this a long time ago," he told his ex-fiancee as she looked up at him with happy and hopeful eyes._

 _..._

 _"There's no 'we' anymore. We're done."_

 _..._

* * *

Okay, first of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH READING! And second...there will be LOTS and LOTS of mistakes in this story. This is due to mostly ME writing this story in patches and patches that I'm currently so thrown off.

BUT I _will_ fix them later in this week because I have an appointment with my campus library soon, so I have to go.

And SECOND, I deeply APOLOGIZE for _rushing_ this chapter so DAMN much but it couldn't be helped. I've been in a rush all day and it took me legit 5-6 hours to spin this out of the blue. _**23,600+ words in 5.5 hours!**_

 _PLUS,_ I really wanted to update on this particular day (Nov 3rd) and hopefully _redeem myself._

Thank you so much and please drop in a review! I'll love that :)! Even if Fanfic doesn't let you review as a member, please drop in a guest review! Thank you!

I have to go, so I'll see you guys later and fix the mistakes and loopholes later!

See you soon and I hope I let the chapter live up to your expectations!

 _Adios!_

 _Love,_

 _SeaEmerald_


	30. The Aftermath

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

Greetings, fellow earthlings! Hey, guys :) So sorry that the update took forever, but I was super busy and I went away for Christmas to spend time with my family. If I sent out late replies to your PMs, I apologize. I did promise not to leave you hanging for 5 months and I kept it ;)!

 _ **I may be a little too late in saying this, but I mean every word:**_

 **(BELATED) MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

 **MAY 2019 BRING YOU GREAT MEMORIES AND HAPPINESS AND HOPE 2018 IS AN EVERLASTING MEMORY!**

 **I HOPE 2018 WAS A GREAT AND WONDERFUL YEAR, BUT I WISH 2019 IS A BETTER ONE FOR ALL OF YOU :)**

 **LOVE YOU, GUYS. STAY SAFE. STAY BEAUTIFUL ALWAYS AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.**

 _ **Thank you :)**_

* * *

 ** _TEN DAYS AGO..._**

 _"...She's not being normal with me, mom," Brandon sighed while crossing his arms and looking out the window. "She...she's afraid of me and I just realized it today."_

 _"You know how Stella is," Heather smiled a little sadly. "She's still young and so are you. Obviously, she will be upset."_

 _"It's not just that. She's just...she doesn't know that I know but I keep hearing her cry. She's trying to hide that from me and I don't understand why she's withdrawing from me..."_

 _"Did you do something to make her feel like that?" Heather asked softly, already knowing the answer deep down. Brandon wasn't the type to hold his anger back on anyone, even though getting him into a full-blown, raging temper was quite rare. Even if it was rare, his words were poisonous enough to shatter someone's spirit and are impossible to forget. Knowing Stella and her sensitive soul, Heather could guess why her daughter-in-law would try to hide from her son._

 _"Yeah, I did. We had a huge fight and...I don't know."_

 _"Do you still trust her?"_

 _"Of course I trust her! I keep telling her that but I don't know what will convince her."_

 _"Sweetheart, there's a difference between telling and believing," Heather said gently. "Until and unless you believe it completely, Stella won't believe you or take your word for it."_

 _Brandon looked down guiltily. He loved her. There's no doubt about that. But...a part of him was still doubtful. He kept repeating over and over again in his head that she wasn't at fault, but he didn't know if he believed it a 100 percent. Do I really...? he asked himself._

 _"I trust her, I do...but...I don't know," Brandon sighed in defeat._

 _"Do you really? Or are you just telling that to yourself because you're afraid?"_

 _"...I...I...," Brandon remained silent. "...I don't know if I can handle it any other way," he sighed with a deep frown._

 _"Brandon...we'll trust both of your judgments but we can't make any decisions for you," Heather said. "You know Stella better than us. Trust your heart, sweetie. Take a leap of faith and see if you regret it."_

* * *

 _It was just the day before yesterday when the bomb dropped on the both of them, so the wounds were still fresh and quite painful. Neither of them could sleep properly without tossing and turning all night. As a result, they were both up pretty early in the morning._

 _"Stel...we need to talk," Brandon sighed tiredly after pacing back and forth in the same room, nearly wearing a path on the floor._

 _"Yeah," the blonde agreed with shame brimming in her eyes. She sat cross-legged on the bed and watched him walk laps around the room and glare at nothing in particular._

 _And he had good reason to. His mind keep reeling back to the photos that the media kept airing over and over again, highlighting the scandal to an even greater height. He was just thankful that it was the picture of Stella walking with someone else (or more like a bastard dragging in her drugged state)._

 _But the way he found her was far worse. And despite trying his best to, he couldn't forget that. His heart still raced violently at the thought that she nearly had sex with a random stranger. He felt his throat tighten and constrict as he felt too frightened to even think of what horrors could've been unleashed if he came even a minute too late. Forget a minute. If he was even a second late, she would've been completely bare and naked from head to toe._

 _He turned to her and saw that she was frowning at him. He let out a deep, frustrated sigh before halting his marathon a little too testily. He raked his fingers through his mane, tousling it messily. He approached her and sat on the bed beside her._

 _First, his Sunshine nearly had sex with another stranger._

 _Second, the media refused to stop airing that all day yesterday._

 _Third, he literally fired at the media after they started to bombard him with questions._

 _Fourth...this was probably the most significant. It was said spontaneously, but nonetheless...his decision didn't feel wrong. This question is another potential life-changing thing for the both of them._

 _"...What if I come with you...?" he asked her out of the blue. She gaped at him as her eyes flew wide open._

 _"Are you serious?" she whispered in shock._

 _"I'm dead serious about this," Brandon told her firmly. "I really want us to live together again."_

 _Stella nodded slowly, thinking mostly to herself. She knew that she should've been excited at that news, but something in her heart prodded her to be nervous. "Can I ask you something?"_

 _He nodded slowly and gestured for her to continue._

 _"Will you give me an honest answer?" she asked._

 _He took her hand and enclosed it within his hands. "Of course I will," he reassured her while patting the back of her hand._

 _"Are you coming with me because you're worried about me or because...you're worried that I'll...that I'll cheat on you again?" she asked with tears in her eyes._

 _He chuckled a little humorlessly as he instantly let her hand go. "You never cheated on me, Stell."_

 _He put his head into his hands and let out a deep, exhausted sigh. He was still rattled on the way he found her. His mind replayed the event over and over again, torturing him to no end. She was barely in her inner wear. If he had entered even a second late...Brandon shuddered at the possibility. That drunk MORON would've seen things that are supposed to be only for his eyes._

 _There was always a tiny twinge of happiness within Brandon because he was and IS the only man that Stella ever trusted to see her like that. And he thought that he'll be the only one as well. But now...now, he saw her in the arms of another man. Whether or not it was done intentionally or unintentionally, it broke his heart. It broke his heart even though he knew that she's not at fault anymore._

 _"I'm coming because I'm worried that you'll be in trouble again. Not because I suspect you," he told her after a lengthy, coherent line of thought._

 _"Really...?" she sniffled and asked one more time to make sure._

 _"Really," he nodded his head firmly to reassure her._

 _She nodded slowly and looked into her lap, not knowing what else to say to continue the conversation._

 _"So...what do you think?" he asked. "I'm 100% into this," he said firmly._

 _"Before that...I think we should talk to your parents," Stella said softly while raising her head up. "I owe them an explanation."_

 _"We'll go sometime today or tomorrow," he nodded in agreement. "But...I can take care of that. You don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want to," he shrugged._

 _She shook her head. "No...I owe everyone an apology for ruining the family reputation," she said while putting her head into her hands._

 _He rubbed her back with comfort but a small frown still remained on his handsome features. Whether she made a mess out of herself intentionally or unintentionally, she still made it. She was involved in the scandal either way. The human nature doesn't care for the hundred good things you do. Instead, it focuses, highlights, and remembers the single bad thing you_ involuntarily _get yourself into._

* * *

 _"Hey, mom," Brandon hugged his mother while Stella hugged Lucas._

 _"Ohhh, it's so good to see you two," Heather exclaimed in relief. "We were so worried. How's everything going?"_

 _"We're fine. I guess," Brandon sighed, speaking for all of them._

 _"How about we talk about this over lunch?" Heather smiled with comfort. The duo nodded solemnly before the four went into the house._

 _Stella went with Heather to help her in the kitchen._

 _Meanwhile, Brandon and Lucas went into the dining room. The brunette_ _didn't even bother sparing his father a single look._

 _They seated themselves on opposite sides, mostly because one of them can't stand being seated next to the other. The atmosphere turned awkward and thick, but not for the obvious reason. The headlines went to the back of their heads, but Lucas coughed slightly to start up a conversation anyway._

 _"So..." Lucas shrugged, trying to initiate a few words with a smile._

 _"Don't talk to me," the brunette irritably replied while turning his head away. "I didn't come here for you. I came here for her," he snapped._ _Brandon glared at his father before continuing. "If you don't want this end like how it ended the last time, I suggest you zip the hell up," he snapped ferociously._

 _Lucas's eyes widened. They both didn't need any special directions to remember what Brandon was referring to. The last time he and Stella were invited for dinner, he made an absolute ruckus and pretty much ruined the entire evening for all of them._

 _Lucas closed his eyes in sheer anger. His hand transformed into a fist as he slammed it onto the table. "How long?! For how long are you going to hate me?!" he furiously whisper-yelled, obviously not wanting to alert the girls inside._

 _"You ruined my life. You broke my trust in you," Brandon glared. "And I'll NEVER forgive you for that."_ _The brunette rolled his eyes before finishing. "Don't worry. I've been trying my very best to not come here while you're home."_

 _"Son-"_

 _"Shut it. They're coming," Brandon interrupted before casting a little nod to the sounds of two pairs of footsteps._

 _The father and son instantly stayed quiet and composed their faces of indifference, replacing the anger and bitter pain that was there moments ago._

 _The brunette turned to the women as they approached to set the table with food. He saw a small smile on Stella's face as she and Heather conversed. It was almost happy and she looks so innocent. Brandon's lips curved into a small, fond smile as the blonde's grin widened while she let out a soft laugh. He didn't know why but Stella's laugh was one of the most magical things he has ever seen in his life. Is that how it's supposed to feel when you're hopelessly in love?_

 _She suddenly looked up and caught his eye. Her smile faded slightly as she nervously glanced at him._

 _Brandon looked away instantly with a sigh. Oh, this is so painful and awkward. He should talk to her later._

 _Heather and Stella set the table before the former sat beside Lucas. Stella's heart jumped a beat anxiously as she saw the only seat available and that was beside Brandon. She felt her heart hammer loudly. For some reason, she felt really scared and anxious. Timidly, she travelled towards her seat before sitting in it._

 _"Stella, honey, don't worry about what happened," Lucas smiled. "The media just needs something small to start speculating like crazy."_

 _Heather nodded in_ _acquiescence_ _. "We're, of course, upset about what happened, but we do trust you both," she smiled in comfort before turning to Stella. "You should've been a little more cautious in a place like that, but I'm just relieved that both of you are okay."_

 _"Thank you, Heather," Stella smiled before continuing to pick at her plate. The smile didn't touch her eyes as she ate silently anyway. Brandon chose not to say anything. A part of him was still miffed about the spat with his father earlier, but another part, the major one, didn't know what to say. He saw that the blonde was barely eating while her body stiffened with each passing second._

 _He could think of a thousand ways to probably make her feel better, but none of them were really appropriate enough to do in front of his parents. He thought for a second before taking out his phone. He opened her contact before shooting a small message. He put the phone back before anyone could observe. Stella moved slightly when her phone buzzed in her pocket._

 _She just moved to ignore it when her eyes slightly widened when she felt the unique vibration she set specifically for one person._

 _She looked to her left where Brandon calmly ate his food without sparing her at least an occasional glance. She moved to take her phone out curiously before staring at the text he sent her._

 ** _Smile for me, Sunshine ;) And relax, love :)_**

 _Her lips burst into a small smile at the heartwarming message that sent her heart fluttering. The smile blossomed at the cheesy words. Through his periphery, he watched a blooming blush on her face. He smirked slightly at her reaction but it vanished just as soon as it came. His parents were here and it'd be a little inappropriate to blush and smirk in front of them._

* * *

 _He looked out the window and kept his eyes fixated on the blonde in the backyard. She was sitting quietly and stepped out for fresh air just a few minutes ago. He let out a deep breath before following her out._

 _Brandon placed a hand on her shoulder. She stiffened slightly before turning towards him. He sat beside her on the swing before facing the front._

 _"Why are you so afraid of me?" he asked after a long pause._

 _She flinched at his question but didn't say anything._

 _"...You were right," he said with a soft sigh. "A part of me kept wondering 'what if' for the past few days. But now, I'm sick of the way that we are behaving with each other. I'm sick of you walking around like dead meat and I'm sick of myself watching that happen," he explained in frustration. He turned to her before taking a deep breath. "I trust you, Stella," he said meaningfully._

 _He pulled her closer by the shoulders before his hands went up to cup her face. He caressed her face gently with his thumbs before leaning forward. Stella's eyes widened as he kissed her on the forehead._

 _"Come back to me, Sunshine," he whispered, letting his lips linger there._ _He pulled back before gazing into her eyes. "I know you. And I know you wouldn't do anything like that," he reassured her. "What I saw was just a careless and unfortunate incident. Nothing more than that."_

 _Tears misted in her eyes as she heard his words. "Thank you," she sniffled. He nodded with a gentle smile before pulling her into a tight hug. She reciprocated just as gladly before letting out a small but immensely relieved sigh._

 _"...We have to leave tomorrow, Stel," he observed. "I want us to be unaffected by then."_

 _She nodded without delay. She didn't need to be told twice._

* * *

 _They lay down in each other's arms after a few hours, quietly thinking. Holding her tightly to his chest with one arm and using another to prop up his head from underneath, he played with her messy strands and gently started to untangle the knots in her hair. She panted softly, letting her rapidly paced breaths fan over his chest._

 _"You okay?" he asked before tenderly kissing her temple. She nodded before closing her eyes, ready to fall back to sleep or, at least, take a short nap._

 _He caught glimpses of outside from the little spaces between the drawn curtains._ _It had been cloudy all day, each cloud fading away into a velvet blue shade. But right now, he watched the sun smile it's first rays and peep through the closed curtains, illuminating both their bodies with a tanned, golden glow._

 _They sighed softly to themselves before their thoughts ran on the same page. This was how their days should've been over the past week. This was what they were supposed to be doing. Breezing through life, turning a simple weekend into a complete paradise BUT..._

 _Fate always has a way to screw with happy endings._

 _Finding her dull and limply slumping against him, he peeped down and watched her as she lay against him with closed eyes. He normally would continue to let her sleep, but...there were much more pressing matters at hand. He had to resist a smile though. The fact that she was still able to sleep despite having a huge burden on her head was admirable. OR...she didn't care about anyone's opinion but his. Smiling slightly at that, he kissed her forehead._

 _Unfortunately, he didn't have the same strength as she did. He cared about what everyone thought about her. He gave a damn about the society's opinions. He was in a lofty position and any sign of a blemish on him would create headlines. But this was more than a blemish. This was an official, controversial scandal. He could care less about what people thought about him. There will always be hate in this world and he had better things to do than deal with that. But...he can't stand people talking about an innocent girl, especially when that girl happened to be the one he loved and cherished above everyone else. People were still talking about her and he can't shut everyone's mouths unless they come up with a solution._

 _He nudged her a little unwillingly. Her eyes remained closed but she moved. "Hmm?" she murmured._

 _"Wake up, baby. Please," he softly told her before continuing to kiss her forehead._

 _"I am awake," she childishly retorted even though she was barely half-awake._

 _He chuckled before turning his body fully to face her. "We still have to talk, you know."_

 _"Okay," she yawned before opening her eyes and meeting him._

 _He raised a small, amused eyebrow when he saw a glint of mischief and happiness in her eyes. "You're...oddly happy," he commented with interest._

 _"Why? Isn't that what you wanted?" she chirped._

 _He chuckled. "Yeah, but I didn't expect the result so soon."_

 _"I didn't know if you meant everything you said to me after everything that has happened so far...I thought you were just saying it for my sake," she said honestly while biting her lip. "But now that I know you really meant it...I guess I am a little happy." She knew that he wouldn't really touch her if he wasn't in the mood for it. The only time he's not ever in the mood is when he's fiercely angry at her and that was super rare. When she first saw the news on the TV, he looked like he was about to strangle her if she ventured near a foot of him._

 _"This was what our weekend should've been," he sighed a little tiredly, but his heart rocked with peace and serenity. His heart rate was slow and relaxed._

 _"I ruined that for us...didn't I? I ruined your birthday," she sadly sighed with guilt._

 _"It's ruined but not because of you," he told her before tightening his grip. And he WILL find out WHO._

 _"...I'm just happy that you're safe," he said sincerely._ _"We need to think about-" he started before Stella let out a long, annoyed sigh and interrupted him. This conversation was just far too unpleasant for her liking._

 _"Can we just behave like normal human beings for today?! We can worry about everything else tomorrow!" Stella whined. "You've been yapping all morning about this!"_

 _Brandon chuckled before shaking his head fondly. "Fine. We'll forget about this till tonight," he smiled lazily down at her before she started to smile._

 _"Okay," she chirped, making him laugh._

* * *

 _"What about that house?" she asked while pointing to a smaller one._

 _"Isn't it too small?" he retorted but clicked on it anyway._

 _"We're only staying for a few months. Not for the rest of our lives," she snorted._

* * *

 _"Good morning," he smiled down at her. Blinking at his annoyingly happy face, she rubbed her eyes sleepily before wrapping the sheets around herself._

 _"Good night," she grumbled._

 _He scoffed. "What kind of a girl are you?! Wake up, you lazy little pig!"_

 _Her eyes snapped wide open at his insult before she scoffed. "If I'm a pig, then what are you? A buffalo?"_

 _"..." he glared._

 _But her sleepy glare turned into an innocent smile moments after. "Join me!" she sang while extending her arms towards him._

 _"As much as I'd love to...I already got dressed," he chuckled. Her lips dropped into a little 'oh' in realization as she watched him in a clean, pale blue button-up, collared formal shirt with matching black pants. "I have to go to work. Will you be okay here?" he asked._

 _"You're not coming with me today?" she asked sadly._

 _"Of course I am," he reassured. "We'll leave sometime in the evening. I'll come back sometime in the afternoon, 'kay?" he stood up._

 _Stella nodded as she listened to his words, but something an idea knocked the back of her head._

 _Watching him leave the room, she suddenly remembered that she had something to do before they left for Princeton. And she's been involuntarily delaying it as much as possible, but...she can't postpone it any more._

* * *

 _"Brandon!" Lisa suddenly tumbled into his room breathlessly._

 _Startled at the sudden disruption, Brandon looked up in surprise and stood up in a flash when he saw Lisa enter the room in a disoriented panic. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern while dropping his pen and walking over to her. "You won't believe what's going on!" Lisa panted. "Calm down. Catch your breath," he said gently before patting her back. Lisa shook her head before frantically opening up her iPad to view live CCTV recordings of the building's first floor. "The lobby! Look at the footage!"_

 _Brandon dropped his pen in shock before grabbing the device. His throat went dry as when he saw none other than Stella being pummeled by frenzy reporters, dying to get a juicy scoop. He could see the blonde covering her eyes at the blinding flashes that went off in her face. She was obviously trying to get past them, but they were restraining her with questions._

 _Brandon's eyes widened at the display in front of him before he shoved the device back to his secretary and bolted out of the room, leaving his suit jacket behind in a hurry. His crumpled, white dress shirt was plastered to his body. With his mane flying off messily, he sprinted towards the elevators unceremoniously, with his secretary hotly in tow._

 _The elevator seemed to take forever as it went downstairs. Brandon tapped his fingers on the support railing impatiently as he breathlessly watched the floor numbers decrease one by one painstakingly slowly. Somebody kill me now, he thought in absolute panic._

 _"What the hell is security doing?" he asked urgently before peeping at Lisa's iPad. "They're trying their best to control the situation," she explained with a frown. "In that case, call for backup," he said while watching the elevator finally stop at the first floor. "Yes, sir," she chirped before she followed him out._

 _Brandon rushed as fast as he possibly could. He dashed out of a few hallways before entering the lobby. His eyes widened at the mess in front of him. Reporters were firing questions at her to get a scoop for their newspapers. Cameras fired away to record her every possible reaction. Questions were thrown at her from left and right, barely giving her enough room to breathe. Security officers were trying their best to restrain the amalgamated mess, but the power of the frenzy is too strong for them._

 _Stunned, he instantly looked into the middle of the crowd for Stella. His eyes sighed slowly in relief when he saw her only a few meters away. She looked extremely uncomfortable and was frozen dead on the spot._

 _Brandon pushed past the journalists with a big frown. He'll kill her when they're alone! "Excuse me! Hello! Coming through!" he yelled over the crowd. Giving up in frustration at their cluttering bodies, he used his strength and force to push them out of the way unsparingly. Security officers formed a circle around him as they helped him reach the blonde._

 _"Officers, get these people out of there," Brandon shouted to them before he finally was able to push through the last few remaining people. The officers obeyed his orders before starting to apply force on them._

 _"Brandon!" Stella cried in relief._

 _He shook his head as he started to pull her away from the crowd unharmed. "What in the world are you doing here?!" he asked in a hushed voice. "Are you insane?!" he fired away angrily. He turned to see his secretary following him as well as security behind them._

 _"Lisa, if this flock of seagulls doesn't get out of my company right now, tell them I will sue each and every one of them for unlawful trespassing and security breaching," he threatened with fury. "I'm allowed to do that, right?" he snapped._

 _Stella and Lisa looked at each other before suppressing a little smile at boss's amusing tantrum._

 _"I'll be right back. Both of you better be right here when I come back," he snapped before letting go and marching off to address the media._

 _The group stood somewhat awkwardly as they waited for their boss to come back. Meanwhile, Stella turned to Lisa. "Lisa?" she slowly asked._

 _Lisa turned to the blonde with a pleasant smile. "Yes?"_

 _"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Stella tried a little nervously._

 _"Yes, ma'am. Of course," Lisa smiled._

 _"Um...just call me Stella, please. And also...I'm really sorry for the way that I acted with you a month ago. I feel that I owe you a face-to-face apology," Stella said as quickly as she could._

 _"Oh no. Please. It's totally fine. As a woman who is very overprotective of her boyfriend, I totally understand," Lisa said with a small, knowing smile. Stella let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," the blonde responded._

 _Lisa nodded with a small smile before turning to the hawking journalists. "These people need something better to do," she muttered._

 _Stella blinked slightly in surprise. "...You're not bothered? By all of that...?" she asked hesitantly while nodding her head towards the direction of the reporters behind them._

 _"We've all been in this field for years, Stella," Lisa smiled. "We can recognize a misunderstanding."_

* * *

 _"What the hell are you doing here?!" Brandon hissed angrily, not in the least bit happy about seeing Stella here._

 _"What was I supposed to do?! I didn't want you to take the blame for me!" she fired._

 _"Do you realize what you just did? Stella, this isn't the Family Feud! Whatever happened between us does not have to ruin this company's reputation!" he yelled back at her. "And this isn't about not trusting you! Those journalists out there are vultures, okay?! They'll rip you apart for one piece of information!"_

 _"...Then let them. At least they'll leave you alone," she replied softly, making his eyes widen._

* * *

 _They walked out of Brandon's office room and down the hallway casually while pretending that they weren't exactly in a workplace. Right now, they need to be as normal as possible with each other._

 _She felt conscious of herself when she saw people staring at her for a longer time than necessary. "Brandon, they're staring at me," she whispered to him._

 _He rolled his eyes. "Well, you deserve it for coming here. I told you not to."_

 _Stella shot him a small glare. Jerk._

 _Noticing her obvious fidgeting, he thought of something he can do to divert her. With a smirk, Brandon instantly leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Stella's eyes widened as her jaw fell open instantly. She pushed him away immediately and started to blush a bright red. "What is wrong with you?!" she started to laugh, attracting the attention from passersby in the hallways._

 _He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "What?" he asked, having the atrocious gall to act innocent._

 _They started to laugh before smiling at each other. Stella smiled beautifully for him as he gazed at her fondly. He wrapped his arm loosely around her waist before continuing to tease her, making her blush to no end._

 _And that was enough for people to go nuts. It didn't take long for murmurs to turn into excited rumors. The couple looked unfazed. Either that or they were both extremely good actors. But...they looked so genuinely happy with each other that it was difficult for anyone to believe that they were just pretending. It made them speculate. Did they even see the news?_

 _Reaching the parking lot a while later, he tugged on her arm, making her spin towards himself. He hugged her close to himself before resting his chin on top of her head. "I'll see you in a few hours, okay?"_

 _She nodded into his chest. "That was actually very painful," Stella sighed while wiping off imaginary sweat from her forehead._

 _"You know...I'm really proud of you," he sighed softly but his eyes gleamed with pride._

 _"You are...?" she asked innocently. "Why?"_

 _"That actually took a lot of strength and courage," he admitted. "As mad as I am that you came without telling me, I still am proud."_

 _She blushed slightly at his words. "I'll see you at home," she smiled. He nodded and watched her get into the car. "Be safe," he waved to her as she drove off._

* * *

 _"...I saw the news too, man. How is she holding up?" Jay frowned. "How are you guys really doing?"_

 _Brandon sighed. "Things between us had been rocky at first but we're okay now."_

 _"...Why are you here then? To "check up" on her?" Jay asked while double-quoting using his fingers._

 _"Something like that," Brandon admitted. "I didn't really say this to her, but...maybe a couple of her classmates or whatever might've the news as well. And...I don't know if she's strong enough to handle that yet."_

 _Jay frowned. "Who the heck even watches business tabloid channels these days?"_

 _"You never know, Jay. You never know."_

* * *

 _"How could you not tell me you were married?!" Andy snapped angrily. "You know how I feel for you!"_

 _"I told you I had someone in my life," Stella said calmly. "You don't know anything about me to assume I was unmarried."_

 _He shot her a deeply wounded look that made her feel guilty, but...she had enough. She had enough of people blaming her left and right! Only one person had ANY right to interfere in her life and that was her husband. No one else._

 _..._

 _"I really don't understand why MY WIFE has to explain anything to you losers," a dark voice hissed from behind them. Judging from their attires, Brandon guessed that it was a group of rich kids who had nothing better to do than waste time on gossip and social media._

 _"You're better off without her! She cheated on you!" a girl scoffed and glared at Stella while giving Brandon the flirty eyes._

 _"Why, you-!" Brandon started with a ferocious glare when_ _Stella grabbed his arm. "Please. Don't," she softly told him before giving him pleading eyes._

 _..._

 _"Has the entire day been like this to you?" Brandon grabbed Stella's arm and halted her from walking._

 _"Can we just go, please?" she said tiredly._

 _"NO. Stella, I want an answer NOW," he glared while grabbed her by the arm. He turned her chin to face him. "Tell me. How was your day?"_

 _Her eyes spoke with profound, voluminous emotions that he didn't need anything else from her. Without any other words, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight hug. Locking his arms around her, he silently told her it's going to be okay._

 _"I love you, Sunshine. I believe you and I trust you more than anything else," he whispered into her hair._

 _"People are watching," she sniffled in his arms._

 _"Let them," he dismissed before tightening his grip. "Who knows? This might be the next headlines," he joked, making her let out a short laugh. He gave her a smile that's meant only for her. Her toes curled inwards in happiness._

 _He stroked her cheek with his thumb for a long second before withdrawing and acknowledging that they were in a public place with accumulating audience._

...

 _Brandon's eyes narrowed into a dark glare as he listened to her speak. Meanwhile, she put her head into her hands and was trying not to lose it. Remembering that she needs him now, his rage simmered down just a bit._

 _"Andy is right though..." Stella said dully. "I never told anyone that I was...married."_

 _"Are you kidding me?" He stared at her like she was crazy. "Woman, you're taken," he huffed, obviously offended out of his mind. "I can't believe that this is how people find out!"_

 _"Well, excuse me! It's not like we got married out of choice!" she defended herself. "I just told people that I had a...boyfriend."_

 _"...Well, I'm not your boyfriend," he blinked. "And don't say that, Stell. We may have gotten married without choice but we are together by OUR choice."_

 _"You know what I mean!" she said while throwing up her hands in surrender._

 _He raised an eyebrow. "Actually, Stell, I don't. I don't ever tell anyone that you're my girlfriend because frankly, you're not. I'm obviously not happy about this."_

 _"Look, it's not that serious, okay-" she tried to protest._

 _He held up his hand to stop her from talking. "It is serious. At least to me. How would you feel if I introduced you to someone as my "friend"?" he said while quoting that with his fingers._

 _"But-"_

 _"...Wouldn't you want to be my wife?" he asked quietly._

 _"Of course I would! And I already am!"_

 _He sighed as a deep, hurt frown donned his face. He turned away, trying to cool down a bit and not let this affect him as much._

 _Seeing his forlorn eyes, Stella clutched his arm. "It wasn't intentional and I'm sorry," she said sadly. "I didn't mean to. I didn't tell anyone at first because I'm always reminded of the circumstances that we got married in," she finished. "And then...the topic never came up. I'm not close to that many people."_

 _"Please. Don't be mad," she asked._

 _He stared at her for a long moment before letting out a defeated sigh. He can never stay mad at her for long. "_ _I'm not mad," he shrugged. "I'm not happy, but it's_ _okay. I understand."_

* * *

 _"Wake up, you bag of food!" Jay hollered while entering the room where the blonde slept._

 _The two males glanced at each other before staring at her with an annoyed, exasperated look. She had such an incredible ability to sleep through anything._

 _"You ever thought of disciplining her sleeping habits?" Jay sighed while shaking his head testily._

 _"...Guess we're the ones stuck with packing and moving," Brandon sighed in exasperation as Jay nodded in annoyance before they both left the room, leaving the blonde to sleep in peace._

* * *

 _ **LITTLE LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THE HEADLINES...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's New House, New Jersey - 12:40 AM ~**

Brandon sat in the living room, creating a work place out of it as usual. He found relief and felt stress-free whenever he absorbed himself into his work. It was boring sometimes and downright frustrating, but...he liked it anyway. He liked reading through boring paperwork and attending meetings. It gave him a consistency in his life. This job was his life. He worked so hard to get this company to where it is right now while making sure that he didn't become a hard-core, ruthless dictator in the process.

His fingers furiously typed away without stopping to at least take half a breath. It felt good. It felt almost like... _meditation._ And he needed something like that considering what he's been going through the past week.

"Brandon?" a soft voice interrupted his tranquility, making him look up at once.

A faint smile touched his lips when he saw Stella standing at the doorway of their bedroom. "I thought you were asleep," he commented. He turned to his laptop again.

"Can't sleep," she answered simply.

"You okay?" he asked without diverting his attention from his computer.

"Can I stay with you?" the blonde asked. Without waiting for a reply, she quickly went over and sat beside him before leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I'm busy, Stel," he said with somewhat seriousness.

"Please?" she asked. "I won't talk at all."

"Fine. Just don't get too annoying," he chuckled before placing a quick kiss against her cheek.

She didn't respond and instead just stared at the computer, wondering what the heck he was doing. "Don't you ever like to sleep?" she asked curiously.

"So much for not talking," he rolled his eyes with amusement.

She peeked up at him. Feeling bored out of her mind, she traced her fingers down his cheekbones and chiseled jaw before her hands fell on his chest. She leaned further into him. She started to doodle on his chest with her fingers and play with his shirt. He shut his eyes and finally sighed out of exasperation.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to fully annoy me," he shook his head before turning to her.

"But I didn't say anything," she mumbled while picking at his shirt.

"Stella," he addressed, obviously miffed. "Get your little butt up and go to sleep."

"No," she said childishly. "I'm here to stay."

"Ugh," he groaned. "Well, if you want _me_ to stay and babysit your ass, then you need to let me work," he demanded seriously.

"Okay," she said in a soft, small voice.

Shaking his head, he turned back to his laptop again while Stella wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head against his chest. His heartbeat near her ear lulled her into a hypnotic trance as her eyes fell droopy. She grew more and more comfortable with each passing second and for one minute, her worries since the last week subsided and let her sleep peacefully.

* * *

After another hour or so, Brandon yawned and tried to stretch his arms only to see that Stella had fallen asleep on him. He closed his eyes for a moment before shutting his laptop off and placing it aside. He turned towards the blonde again before slowly removing her arms from him. She fell on the couch slowly before unconsciously curling herself into a small ball.

Watching her silently, he took the time to stretch. A frown donned his face when he saw the dark circles underneath her eyelids. Her forehead had a few creases of discomfort. Her brows were scrunched together. She looked deep in pain and hurt that he finally understood why she suddenly wanted to be with him at this time of night.

Concerned, he fell to her level before stroking her face with his thumb. He leaned closer before pressing his lips against her temple for a long second. "It's okay, Stell," he frowned before pulling back.

He stood up and picked her up before taking her straight to the bedroom. He joined her on the mattress as well, ready to turn in for the night.

While she slept obliviously in his arms, he was very much wide awake. He, in fact, hadn't been getting much sleep these past few days but oddly, he wasn't in the least bit tired. He didn't realize that this matter ventured so deeply until he saw those students pummel the blonde with derogatory questions. He absentmindedly stroked her hair while remaining deep in thought.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - Shields' Corporations - 10:00 AM ~**

"Lisa, I need your help," Brandon barged straight into the room before approaching his personal assistant and friend with a cautious look.

Lisa gasped as she looked up from her desk. "BRANDON!? OH MY GOD!" she yelped in concern before rushing over to hug him. He hugged her back with a grateful smile before pulling back. "I was so worried when you just picked up and left without a word!"

Brandon sighed. "I'm sorry but it couldn't be helped."

"I'm so sorry about that news a few days ago. It's awful that people are still talking," Lisa sighed. "Is Stella okay?"

"You don't believe the news either?" he asked, a smile growing on his face. "You honestly don't?"

"Since when do we _EVER_ trust tabloids?" Lisa chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Are you okay? So, how are you guys really doing?"

He took a deep breath before getting right into business. "I need your help."

Lisa's eyes narrowed as she nodded. "I'm all ears."

Without further delay and beating around the bush, he got right into business. "I _need_ to know what happened in the club the other night," he stated affirmatively.

She stared at him and blinked. "What? How?" Lisa asked in confusion.

"Stella said that someone named Rose from our company introduced themselves to her," Brandon started. "Can you look into that for me? Stella said that this Rose or whatever appeared at the gala from a year and half ago."

"So? There are probably plenty of Rose's in the company," Lisa remarked. "And besides, what does that have to do with anything? What's wrong with introducing themselves?"

"Nothing except I have a VERY bad feeling about it. Lisa, please. I need to know who approached Stella on that night. We're thinking that her drink might've been drugged somehow."

"What? Brandon, are you really serious? Do you realize how silly you sound right now? Stella was in a club. As harsh as this may sound, of course, there will be drugged drinks and spiked fruit punches!" Lisa stated incredulously.

Brandon's eyes narrowed gleamed angrily "Lisa. I don't know who it is but I _WILL_ find the culprit responsible for getting Stella's name into tabloids. Messing with me was _ONE_ thing but I won't sit around and watch the goddamn media write shit about her," he said angrily. His body riled up with fire. "I'll do it either way. _With_ or _without_ your help."

Lisa sighed before rubbing her forehead. "Brandon, even if I want to, there's no way we can find out who it is. Those clubs are always dark as hell and we can't-"

Brandon sighed before turning his eyes into one of genuine plea. "Please," he asked softly before placing a palm on top of hers. "I'm not asking you as your boss. I'm begging you as a friend. She doesn't know that I'm even in New York right now but I can't watch her like that anymore. _Please._ "

Lisa stared at him before slowly giving in. She looked down at his hand before placing her palm on top of him. "...Alright. I'll do it," she nodded with a faint smile.

* * *

 _"LATEST update on the so-called scandal on the Shields' family! It hasn't been a week since the rumor emerged on young CEO's twenty-fifth birthday bash! Photos clearly show that Dr. Shields's wife Stella is with another man and it is highly speculated that she might, in fact, be involved in infidelity."_

 _"An insider video that we may have..."_

 _"As per the sweet, romantic video, it's clear that there is absolutely no sign of rift between the young couple! Is the scandal not-so-scandalous anymore? Stay tuned to find out more!"_

Stella let out a deep, relieved breath. She closed her eyes before her heart rate visibly lost its rapid pace and dulled into a relaxed rhythm. "I can't believe this," she breathed in disbelief. Her eyes blinked with immense relief. The TV aired photos of the date they went on before coming here. It was in a secluded park but it was perfect for them to have a peace of mind. Looks like the media didn't leave them there as well, _but_ she was thankful for their uncalled-for interference this time.

"Brandon! Have you seen the news?!" Stella gushed while running up to him when he came out of the bedroom.

He listened to the reporter with a faint smile before crossing his arms. He watched Stella cling to his shoulder and jump up and down with excitement. He let her hug him but kept his eyes fixated on the news. Photos of them kissing in the distance and laughing together aired repeatedly over and over again. A five-second video of them being totally natural with each other was shown in a constant, annoying loop.

"I know that your birthday should be one of the best days of my life, but I won't lie. I think this might just break the record of all time," Stella sighed blissfully before leaning into him happily.

He smiled at her. "Told you everything will be okay soon," he said before wrapping an arm around her.

"You won't believe how happy I am right now," she cooed. And he can tell. Her eyes shone with pure, innocent joy, something that's been missing for the past few days.

"In that case...sweetheart, we should celebrate," he grinned before taking her hand and pulling her into his arms. She giggled as he pressed his lips tightly against her cheek.

"Dance with me?" he asked softly with a charming smile playing on his lips. Her eyes widened when he didn't give her the chance to speak and immediately started to sway to a slow song. He tightened his grip on her waist. She had a smile curved upwards as she moved in sync with him.

By the time the song ended, the couple had stopped dancing and were simply hugging each other. "I told you that I'll always protect you," he promised her as he held his reason for living in his arms.

He couldn't actually believe the change she brought him. He had been such an ill-tempered _jerk_ from the very beginning, but one and half year later, look where he is right now. _Awestruck and completely wrapped around her finger._ She became his entire world and in his heart, he had the strength to go to _any_ length to protect her at all costs. Who knew he would become a lovesick, cheesy fool?

His 'so-called' past is not even a past anymore. It was a distant memory that no longer plagued him. It felt as if his entire pain with Skylar was washed away except for the miserable breakup they had.

 _But,_ he no longer possessed or harbored _ANY_ feelings for her. Nor will he _ever._

"I love you, Brandon," she whispered to him softly. He smiled at her before reciprocating his feelings by kissing her softly. "Love you more always."

This was another one of the things he absolutely loved beyond measure. They didn't go to sleep together very often, considering they were both busy with their own lives. She had her studies to keep herself busy with and he had tensions from work.

Brandon felt his heart soar as he held the girl, who became his world the second she stepped foot into his life, in his arms. He gazed down at Stella with a faint, loving smile. Her lips were curved into a soft smile as she closed the gap between them and moved closer to him. It felt like forever since he has seen such an innocently happy smile from her. Her golden-brown orbs twinkled with mischief and serenity.

"Thank you," she suddenly said in a soft voice.

"For what?" he asked gently, pulling her even closer.

"...For everything," she answered. "For coming here. It means everything to me," she said with immense gratitude.

"Me too," he answered after a long pause.

* * *

 ** _PRESENT..._**

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 9:08 AM ~**

"We ran through the footage of the club's events that night and...Stella _was_ telling the truth. They were both talking. And then the video does show of this woman ordering something from the bar and adding something extra into the drink. I'm guessing it's orange or pineapple juice. And then, she handed the drugged drink to Stella," Lisa stated with a sigh.

"WHO?" Brandon growled.

Lisa took a deep breath before revealing the name. _"Skylar Black."_

Brandon instantly went rigid at the sound of her name. He turned as still as a statue the second the name rolled off Lisa's lips.

Stella's words echoed hauntingly in his ears as he blinked rapidly to process the situation.

 _"...she told me that she works with you..."_

 _"...she said her name was Rose and I recognized her..."_

Stella wasn't lying and neither was that Rose.

 _"Skylar...?"_ he whispered in disbelief and utter shock. He froze in his spot as he stared at Lisa, hoping against hope that she'll take her word back.

His mind darted back and forth between the events of the night of his birthday.

 _"...I have a headache. I have to go."_

Headache? _Yeah, right._

Brandon's heart constricted tightly as he struggled to breathe. He couldn't think straight. She was in front of his eyes the whole and he couldn't guess _THIS._

So...the person responsible for causing a panic and wreaking havoc was none other than...

 _S-Skylar...?_ he choked on that name with repeating horror.

She...she was the one responsible for this...? Why? For what? Where was she going with this?!

 _"Where are we going?" Skylar asked with a smile._

 _"You'll see," he smirked with a hidden smile underneath._

The brunette snapped out of his trance when his secretary spoke up.

"Brandon...as your close friend, I empathize with you. What happened to Stella was horrible," Lisa started.

 _"I'm not exactly having the best day of my life, so if this is another prank of yours..." Skylar threatened him with a fist. He laughed fondly before shaking his head 'no'._

"Why do I sense a 'but'?" he groaned.

"Skylar is not just any random woman, okay? She's an employee at this company _and_ in a very reputable position at that," Lisa stated seriously. "Believe me, if you reveal her name, then a majority of the stocks might crash and we'll all suffer for it."

Brandon scoffed. "So, I'm just supposed to watch the media chastise Stella? I can't just let them think that she got drunk and pretty much cheated on me."

"No, but...but you can definitely issue a statement saying that...Stella was careless," Lisa sighed in defeat.

 _Two years..._

Brandon closed his eyes disturbed. In five months, Stella and he would have been technically together for _two_ years. Well...to be honest, they're only been completely _together_ for about six months because of the one year gap. _BUT nonetheless,_ neither of their respective feelings for each other have changed in these two years. They may have been physically disconnected but their hearts had always longed for each other.

Despite that, problems _still_ existed with them.

And their relationship is _constantly_ facing more downs than ups.

 _"...We've been together for two years now and...I don't know if this is moving too fast or not, but...I'm sure about it," he said confidently._

"She's clearly not afraid. She can't possibly sit in front of a camera and expect that people won't find out," Lisa shrugged.

"I don't want to be nosy, but...what happened between you and Skylar? Who is she? Why did you want to fire her so badly when she joined?"

 _"Will you marry me?" he asked with hopeful eyes._

 _Skylar's eyes brimmed with tears as she gasped. "YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!" she squealed before tackling him to the floor. He grinned like a mad loon before she grabbed him by the collar._

Brandon closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. "...She was my fiancee."

 _"Wherever I am, I'll always love you," he promised her before kissing her forehead and slipping the ring onto her finger._

Brandon's eyes hardened into stone. "Lisa."

"Hmm?"

 _"Wherever I am, I'll always protect you," he breathed before hugging her close._

He took a deep breath before turning his heart rigid enough to become ruthless. _"Fire Skylar Black."_

"...Without a valid reason to terminate her _legally,_ she might instigate a lawsuit against us. Brandon, in the situation we're in, we don't need any more attention or eyes."

"So, I'm supposed to watch her ruin my personal life?!" Brandon snapped. "What if we just go to the police?!"

"...We can go to the police and we can get her arrested for being caught red-handed in using drugs. But if this comes out, Brandon, you know how wild the speculations can get."

"Oh please," he rolled his eyes. "What can be worse than the ones right now?"

"You want an example?" Lisa said incredulously. "How about this? It hasn't been that long since Skylar is employed. Given your history, what's the guarantee that you didn't tell Skylar to drug Stella's drink? What's the guarantee that there were no old feelings resurfaced?"

Brandon's eyes widened at the wild theory. He was left speechless on what or how to reply.

* * *

 _ **A few days ago...**_

 _ **~ Somewhere Unknown ~**_

 _A mad cackle rang in the air, echoing through the dully silent house. A slender figure sat on the couch as she laughed evilly at the scrolling headlines. "Oh, you still haven't seen anything yet," Skylar chuckled madly before throwing her head up laughing._

 _"Did you do this?" Chris asked calmly from the doorway. "Were you the one responsible?"_

 _"Yeah. So?"_

 _Chris's eyes flared angrily as he marched inside the house. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"_

 _Skylar snorted. "Our deal is to work together to separate them. Protecting the Little Miss Sunshine was not a part of it."_

 _"Well, now it is!" Chris yelled angrily. "I'm warning you, Skylar Black. Stay the hell away from Stella or I'll personally make it a mission to come after you."_

 _Skylar glared when Chris turned on his heel and stormed out of her house. "Well, if I can't go after her..." she thought wildly. A smirk stretched across her face. An evil glint flashed in her eyes. "...why not go for the direct attack?"_

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's New House - 10:45 PM ~**

Brandon climbed up the porch and rang the doorbell, hoping that Stella is still awake. The night isn't old yet and...he really wanted to see her.

To his relief, he heard the door click within a few seconds. He watched her open the door in one of her cutest cupcake pajamas, making his heart flutter in endearment. Her eyes lit up instantly at the sight of him and he wondered if he could get any luckier. He's blessed to have a beautiful and caring woman in his life.

"Hey," Stella smiled before leaning in for a hug. His sleep-filled eyes closed automatically as he buried his head into her shoulder. "Hi," he whispered weakly in fatigue. He was exhausted. The last few days of winging sleep and overworking himself has finally caught up to him. Plus, his not-so-great day at work drained his energy levels.

"Why did you come back if you were so sleepy? You could've stayed at the house itself," she scolded him before pulling him inside. She locked the front door before turning to him. He took his jacket off before handing it to her. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," he said before pulling her into his arms, earning a surprised squeak from her. He closed his eyes slowly as he held her before resting his cheek on top of her head.

"It's fine," she smiled. "You okay?" Stella asked. She felt him nod. "Just tired," he answered and smiled faintly at her concern for him. "What were you doing till now?" he asked in a barely audible voice. "Working on my thesis," she answered. He nodded at her answer. "Did you have dinner?" he asked in the same, dull voice. "...Yeah," she replied in confusion, not understanding why he sounded so low. Did he have a bad day? No matter how late it is at night, he always spent a few minutes with her before turning in for the night.

He relished her soft touch for a few moments before pulling away. "I'm going to turn in for the night. Good night, Stell," he faintly smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. Stella blinked in confusion before letting out a small smile. "Good night. I'll join you soon," she said slowly but he was already on his way to their bedroom.

* * *

 ** _A few hours later..._**

He sat on the porch quietly. The night wasn't young anymore. It was almost three in the morning. It was beautifully quiet, indicating empty residential streets.

He couldn't get a wink of sleep. But watching Stella sleep always made his worries go away, but this time, guilt hit him like a wall of bricks. _Just as did when he first saw Skylar._

He stepped out for some fresh air but his thoughts never strayed too far.

And he knew now that he can't hold back anymore because _now,_ this was something Stella _deserved_ to know. She deserved to know that she wasn't the one to blame. She was set up on that night and very cleverly at that too. Despite how much of a klutz she is at times, the blonde he knew had a good head on her shoulders. She's visibly paranoid when it came to things like this, so there was no way she would willingly get drunk in a club.

He felt guilty for putting her in those shoes. He remembered her pleas to believe her, to trust her, to see _her_ side of the perspective. But he hadn't. He had been too consumed in his rancor that he never paid attention until it was too late. Why does it matter now anyway? "I'm sorry," he whispered into the night.

 _Why are we always fighting?_ he thought with a deep frown.

 _Two years._ It will be two years in, give or take, six months since they had gotten married. They loved each other and it wasn't some stupid infatuation or attraction. He had fallen head over heels for her in a matter of months and he knew that she felt the same way. But despite that, they were _still_ fighting. Not couple fights, but _actual_ fights that could end in a disastrous way for both of them. He can't handle another break up or anything remotely close to that.

They need to fix their relationship. It hasn't even been three months since they got back together.

 _Three months._

 _SO_ much has happened in the last three months. It was for the better, for sure. The past three months have been nothing short of a paradise that the past year seemed so distant and insignificant.

 _Until Skylar's entry,_ he finished in his mind.

Even Stella could figure out that something was wrong with him. Their relationship had become a little strained but the blonde chose to suffer in silence and let him be. She truly is an angel sometimes, but...he didn't want that. He wanted to be her rock, her cornerstone when she needs him to be but he failed her. _Again, again, and again._

The only way to have her trust is to...

 _Tell Stella about Skylar,_ he sighed as sadness, pain, and hurt touched his eyes.

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapters...**_

 _"He doesn't love you."_

 _…_

 _He put his head into his hands as hot tears flew from his cheeks. "...I cheated," he whispered hatefully to himself while clutching his bleeding hand._

 _..._

* * *

Alrightyyyyyy, everybody! I told you that I wouldn't take 5 long months to update and I kept my word! _Anyways,_ I know I've been dragging this story for like a whole year and I know that I'm probably frustrating everyone with that, but I assure you that the story will end soon. I totally lied that the story will end in 30 chapters, but it's nowhere near complete yet!

 _ **I promise that the next one will be longer and a little more eventful than this one!** I'll also update the next one a lot faster and hopefully, it will be by the end of this month._

The _best_ approximate that I can give you guys is 35-38 chapters. I won't try to drag it for that long, so bear with me, please.

 _AND,_ updates WILL be more frequent because I want to finish this story as soon as I can. Therefore, please don't pressure me because I am trying as best as I can. Just understand that there is a lot about my life that you don't know about and a lot that I willfully don't discuss, so technically, it doesn't give anyone the right to assume that I'm not busy in real life.

I guess that'll be all for now. God, no matter how many times I try to reduce the ANs, I can't. BUT I think it's important information that you peeps need to know.

 ** _NEXT UPDATE:_** _Possibly be by the end of this month. Can't say when, so let's see. KEY WORD HERE: POSSIBLY, NOT CERTAIN_


	31. The Will

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **HELLOOOO!** **Hi, guys :)! I hope everyone is having a** _ **fantastic**_ **day so far! If not, I hope I can cheer you up with this chapter and if yes, I hope I make it even better, haha :)**

 **Thank you SO much to everyone who participated in the poll I set up about 10 days ago.** For those of you who don't know, I asked if you wanted the ending to be mellow/dramatic. It was kind of 50-50, with ~15 people asking for dramatic and ~13-14 asking for mellow. Therefore, I'll see what I can do because I don't want to disappoint the other half.

 **Thank you and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)!**

 ** _WARNING_ : I don't know if this is appropriate or not, but just to make sure, I'm saying this. There _MIGHT_ be a _TRIGGER_ in one of the flashbacks (italicized font) somewhere in the middle of the story. Please be careful while reading.**

* * *

 **~ 5:15 AM ~**

It's the time when streets are usually empty and people sleep off their exhaustion from the day _except_ for a certain brunette, who currently sat on the porch of his recently-new residence. The night air emitted a cool breeze. It was still a little chilly, but he liked the weather. Spring was just around the corner and it was early March.

The night sky started to lighten and it wasn't as pitch black as it was when he first came out. The moon shone as a shimmering crescent, overshadowed by wispy black clouds. There weren't any stars visible. It's like even the sky understood what he's going through.

 _Tell Stella about Skylar,_ Brandon repeated in his mind over and over again. He put his head into his hands, quietly thinking to himself. Was it too late already? In the beginning, he put off telling everything because he didn't think that Stella needed to know. He thought she was better off not knowing. _How presumptuous can he get...?!_

But _now,_ the blonde deserved to know. She deserved to know that someone tried to hurt her. She deserved to be able to stop blaming herself.

And besides, what if Skylar somehow makes a move to tell Stella? If Stella was going to find out, he'd rather she find out from him.

He had been sitting here in the cold for almost _two_ hours. He looked up to see the sky lightening with dusky shades of Prussian blue and that's when he realized that he had been out here for too long. Stella will wake up in a few more hours and he didn't want her to think there was something wrong with him.

Making up his decision _(as if he had a choice in the first place),_ he stood up slowly. He went inside the house before locking the house. Raking a hand through his tousled mane, he grudgingly dragged himself to the bedroom.

He glared the sleeping blonde with envy. He hated how she literally had no troubles in life. She was able to peacefully sleep while he was stuck roaming around like a depressed meshuggener since _three_ in the morning!

He approached the bed with ghastly, washed out eyes before sitting at the edge of the bed with a slow grunt. He felt fatigue greedily caress his body before his energy started to wane as guilt continued to poke his body mercilessly.

He picked himself up, unable to find the will to sleep beside her. Dragging himself out of the bedroom, he made himself home on the couch in the living room. The couch was too small and too hard for his 6'2'' frame, but it was the least of his worries right now. He covered his eyes with his arm before letting out a deep sigh.

 _Tomorrow was going to be a long day, ASSUMING he can fall asleep tonight._

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 7:00 AM ~**

Stella woke up this morning in a hyped mood. She was feeling great, jubilant, and most of all: stress-free. The past ten days sorted her life out for her. The accusations on her grew nonexistent and no one looked at her with scorn or disgust. Candid photos that emerged of her and Brandon being happy were more than enough proof to toss the headlines as nothing as more than false tabloids.

It was a weekend and she wanted to just relax and take the time to enjoy her newfound freedom.

She shook her head in irritation when she saw that Brandon's side of the bed was empty. She groaned at his habits. He was already up _(what else is new?!)_. How does this boy get up, workout, and shower _before_ seven in the morning? She could learn a thing or two from him seriously. He had such inspiring habits. But they could really annoying at times.

Because sometimes...she just wanted to cuddle with him in the mornings. And being the early riser that he is, some fantasies of hers just never get fulfilled.

Stella skipped straight to the living room to see him but her smile stopped short. A frown touched her lips when she saw Brandon sleeping in a mini couch in the living room. The couch was too little for his large body and she wondered for how long he had been in there.

 _Why was he sleeping here?_ she looked around in confusion. His phone was in the bedroom beside the nightstand. He didn't even sleep on a pillow or use a blanket.

She tiptoed over to him, knowing that he was a light sleeper. She bent to his level before watching him sleep. She spent a few moments watching him. It was quite rare for him to watch him sleep. He's literally the most beautiful man she has ever laid her eyes on. He himself knew that he was an attractive Adonis, but he wasn't a narcissistic. His tousled, dark brown hair fell over his eyes. And those _eyes..._

Stella let out a small sigh of content. He was a true gentleman. But he's not the type to hold the door for her or pull her chair out for her. Instead, he was the type of person to take a girl's heart and _protect_ it at any cost. Now, _that_ what makes a man a true gentleman.

Stella reached over before pressing her lips over his. "Brandon," she softly spoke by shaking him. He made no movement. She smiled in awe at how peaceful he looked. His handsome features settled into a neutral gaze as he slept.

She unwillingly poked him, knowing that this couch is probably uncomfortable as hell for him. He made no movement again. With an impatient huff, she poked him in the stomach. Her eyes lit up when she finally got a reaction from him as he started to stir.

"Brandonnnnn!" she whispered in protest. "Wake up!"

He groaned in irritation. "What?" he asked testily before falling still again.

"Sleep in the bedroom. What are you doing here?"

"Sleeping," he muttered before turning away from her in irritation. She snorted at his smart-ass answer. _Jackass._

"Sleep in the bedroom. How can you even fit on this couch?" she said uneasily. "Move it!"

She tapped his cheek but suddenly withdrew her fingers. Her eyes widened in concern. "Oh my god, you're burning up." She checked his forehead again to be sure. He was actually feeling a little too hot today.

"I'm fine," he said in a quiet voice. "Just let me sleep."

"Sleep in the bedroom. You'll be comfortable there," she pressed, shaking him. The best thing to do when you're sick is be as comfortable as possible but this boy was not making it easy for himself.

He groaned before slowly sitting up, knowing that she's not about to give up any time soon. He blinked and rubbed his face. His eyelids felt heavy and thick. His heart raced at an uncomfortable beat, not out of the sudden sickness but out of the apprehension that he had been keeping something so big from Stella.

He stood up slowly with her help before walking with sleepy eyes. She helped him into the bedroom. "Oh god, you're heavy as hell," she frowned and not because he was really heavy-weighted but because it indicated how worn out he actually was that he had to rely on her just to walk.

He made no comment. He instantly fell on the bed upon reaching it before closing his eyes shut.

She sat beside him with concern. It was probably the first time she has seen him getting sick. She, however, fell ill plenty of times and he had taken care of her in those times.

She pulled up the covers to tuck him in before touching his forehead. She frowned at his increasing temperature.

Judging from his constant fidgeting and facing away from the windows, he must be really irritated by the light. Stella stood up and moved over to the windows to close the curtains. The room instantly lost its morning glow, but seems like that's what he wanted.

With an almost sad sigh, she sat beside him again. _Not exactly the weekend I wanted,_ she frowned. Why is he suddenly so ill? She remembered the way he entered last night. He looked _SO_ tired and barely was able to raise his voice above minimum audible levels.

 _Is it stress?_

And that's when it dawned on Stella. Their sudden decision for Brandon to move _here_ was starting to reap consequences. It was starting to take its toll on him. She recalled him telling her that he's been really busy these days. That's why he kept ignoring her calls until his birthday rolled around (unintentionally, but still). She didn't know if she was overreacting or just imagining it way too far, but guilt clouded her heart when she realized it's probably because of her that he succumbed to exhaustion. She lay down beside him before placing her head on his chest.

"I'm so sorry," she said sadly.

His ears twitched at her words but he didn't make any other movement.

"You probably would've been better if you had stayed back home," she whispered, cuddling to him.

She gasped when she felt his arm encase her. "I feel a little under the weather and you start making delusional conclusions?" he sighed tiredly in a deep, hoarse voice before his eyes fluttered opened and closed multiple times, finally staying open a moment later.

"What time is it?" he asked tiredly before using his arm to shield his eyes from the early morning light that _still_ managed to seep in, despite darkening the room.

"Around seven thirty," she replied.

He simply let out a deep breath as a sign of acknowledgement before closing his eyes again. His arm fell limp and heavy around her as he started to drift off.

Not knowing what else to do, she decided to let him be before moving to get up.

"Take rest, okay? I'll prepare something for you to eat." She reached down before kissing him on the forehead. "I'll wake you in a few hours."

He coughed before his body started to relax and weigh the bed down. He could barely keep his eyes open. He didn't get any sleep last night, not to mention him spending those guilt-stricken hours in the cold. All that guilt, pressure, and turmoil stressed him enough to defeat him. He barely heard her leave the room and close the door gently behind her. The countless hours he spent staying awake, driving back and forth to New York without Stella knowing, carrying an immense burden, and holding in a huge secret have _finally_ caught up to him as his body soon relaxed against the mattress.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

Stella opened the door to the bedroom slowly before peeking her head inside. He hadn't moved a single inch since she saw him. She held a tray with a bowl of steaming soup, a plate filled with baked chicken and rice, and a cup of hot, ginger tea. She quietly moved inside the room and shut the door softly. She approached the bed before sitting near the head rest.

"Brand? Hey, wake up," Stella shook him gently before placing the tray she had carried on the nightstand beside their bed. He looked sickly pale that it worried her a lot. His usual tanned skin looked dull and dead. "Wake up," she said, shaking him again. He didn't make a response the first time but he shifted slightly the second time.

Brandon simply moaned in response before pulling the covers over his head. "Turn the heat up," he shivered slightly. She instantly did as she was told.

Finding him disappearing under the sheets, she joined him by diving underneath as well. She arched her body towards his before cuddling into him which he instantly reciprocated.

"You feel so cold," she mumbled.

"Sunshine, I don't want you to get sick," he whispered hoarsely with closed eyes. But he can't deny how nice it felt to hug her warm body. He stretched his frozen muscles and hugged her tightly with a low grunt.

"I don't care," she stubbornly refused before hugging him back.

He didn't comment.

"Wake up and have some breakfast," she whispered. "You'll feel better."

He sighed with sleepy eyes before opening them to meet Stella's concerned ones. "Give me a few minutes," he sighed before pulling the covers back. She watched him sit up with great difficulty.

Stella couldn't help but blush at his appearance. His tousled chestnut mane was wild and unkempt, but...he still looked _hot_. His white muscle tee showed off his broad shoulders and the perfectly sculptured planes of his chest. There was absolutely no room for fat on his body. She kept his eyes on her as he stood up and stretched. His shirt was only slightly loose but good lord...if not for his unwell being, she could think of a hundred ways to spend the morning.

"You look really hot," Stella blushed with a small, teasing smile.

He turned to her before chuckling. "Someone's needy this morning," he smirked slightly, seeing her thoroughly checking him out.

She simply blushed but didn't say anything. Her smile twinkled through her eyes.

She watched him head over to the bathroom. After he disappeared behind the door, she fell back on the bed, facing the ceiling with a growing grin. She had such a good life. The hottest guy to ever walk on this planet is only twenty feet away from her behind a closed door. She had the most caring, loving, and warmhearted man for her husband. What more could she _ever_ want in life?

* * *

"I'm not eating all of that," Brandon groaned before sitting cross-legged on the bed. He sat against the headrest of the bed for support.

The room was still dark, much to his insistence.

Stella sat beside him and handed him the tray. "At least, drink something hot," she insisted.

He sighed in distaste at the pungent scent of the ginger tea. "Is this how annoying I am when I take care of you?"

She giggled. "Yup! I'm not moving until you finish all that. Or, do you want something else? I can cook—" she said hastily, getting off the bed, but he instantly stopped her. Grabbing her wrist, he quietly shook his head and told her to just sit beside him.

"Thank you, Sunshine," he whispered weakly before kissing her temple.

She shook her head, silently saying that she didn't need his gratitude. It was her duty, her responsibility to take care of him in sickness and health.

He turned to the food again before placing the tray on his lap. "Are seconds allowed?" he asked, frowning at the small amounts of each item.

Seeing him change his mind so quickly, she laughed. "Of course."

* * *

 _ **The following Monday...**_

 **~ 7:00 AM ~**

Stella practically spent the rest of her weekend taking care of him and refusing to let him near his damn laptop, despite his multiple, pleading attempts. It's because of that thing that he's sick right now and she, for one, _refused_ to let him use it!

He caught a strong cold and a burning fever within a few hours of his lunch on Saturday. To her dismay, he showed only slow improvements. He still felt a little hot although the cold did subside a little.

She had classes today, meaning that she won't be able to tend to him as much. She woke up really early in the morning to cook him a refreshing breakfast and a hearty lunch.

Stella currently stood in the bathroom, brushing and styling her hair before applying a little makeup.

She turned around when she heard a low groan from the bed. "Stella, close the damn curtains!" Brandon shouted irritably as the pale sunlight started to hit his eyelids. He wasted no time and immediately dived under the covers. She blushed sheepishly when she realized she had opened them out of habit a few hours ago. She always liked the house to be covered in sunlight. But...not today. She instantly drew the curtains close, which instantly darkened the room.

Concerned, she walked over to the bed. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly before sitting beside him.

He didn't make any sound though his ears twitched in response. She pulled the covers back just enough to see his face. She gently brushed the hair out of his eyes. "I made your favorite soup and it's on the stove. I set your breakfast on the table. Your lunch is in a hot box in the kitchen," she explained to him in a low voice.

She bit her lip at how tired he appeared. She didn't like this version of Brandon at all. He rarely got sick, so this honestly took her by surprise. She felt alone since he spent most of his weekend sleeping away.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" she asked.

He made a soft grunt at her words before his eyes fluttered open. "Don't miss out for me. Go. I'll be fine," he sleepily said.

"You sure?" she asked hesitantly. "I can come back in between."

"No. Go. I'll be fine by the time you come back," he shot her a smile, a tired one, but nonetheless.

Despite his exhaustion, his smile was infectious. She smiled back before bending down to kiss his forehead. He closed his eyes at the contact. For some reason...Stella kissing his forehead just meant something significant to him. She usually doesn't do it, but when she does, he loves it.

"I'll be back in the evening then," she smiled before moving to get up from the bed and grab her things.

She gasped lightly when his hand suddenly coiled around her wrist, springing her back to the bed. She fell partially on top of him before his arm held her by the waist. "Be safe," he whispered weakly.

"I will," she said, a soft smile growing on her face. _How this man STILL manages to make her feel special even on days like these, she'll never know._

He smiled faintly at her words even though his eyes sewed shut. "Have a good day," he told her. "I love you."

"Love you too. And I will," she smiled. "Take care, okay? Call me if you need anything." He responded by pressing his lips tightly against her cheek, which made her smile.

It's official.

 _She's the happiest girl alive._

* * *

Brandon kept his ears peeled for Stella to leave. His ears slightly strained to hear the sounds outside. He was under the sheets and the bedroom door is closed, making it a little harder to him to know whether she left or not. He peeked from underneath to eye the clock which ticked seven-twenty.

 _Perfect,_ he smirked. She'll leave soon.

A few minutes later, his eyes brightened when he heard the front door close. He heard her lock the door and let out a small sigh of relief he's been holding for awhile.

Brandon instantly shot out of the bed with newfound energy. He opened the bedroom door and cringed at the open sunlight. With an uneasy frown, he shielded his eyes from the light. This stupid light was giving him a migraine already. With irritation, he stomped towards the windows and closed all the blinds and any other entrances that rudely allowed sunlight to seep through.

He listened as Stella pulled out of the driveway before disappearing on the streets.

One hour later, he emerged from the bathroom in a dull, sleepy mood, but quite refreshed. He felt as if he showered after days, which isn't entirely false. Changing into a comfortable nightwear, he went straight to the dining table to see breakfast laid out for him. His eyes narrowed into interest when he saw a small paper sticking from under a plate. Picking it up, he read the words.

 _Hi, handsome! Hope you're feeling better! :D_

 _Your lunch is in the hotbox. Heat it up if it becomes cool._

 _Please don't use your laptop :( I'll feel really upset if you work in this condition. So...please don't?_

 _Feel better. I love you :)_

He chuckled at the sweet letter. "Love you too, Sunshine...but I'm sorry I can't listen to you today," he whispered absentmindedly before taking his plate to the living room. He set his plate down on a table before going to the bedroom to fetch his phone.

He returned to the living room and nuzzled comfortably onto the couch. He dialed a very familiar number and set the phone on speaker before turning his laptop on.

"Yooo! Brandon, where the hell have you been!? I've been trying to reach you since forever!" Lisa screeched.

"Sorry," he said. "I've been a little under the weather and Stella kidnapped my phone and laptop."

Lisa giggled. "Aw, that's so cute. Anyways, I sent you a few emails, so please respond to them as soon as possible."

"Will do," he smiled. His muscles relaxed as he threw himself into work. Stella never understood that working gave him so much satisfaction. She didn't understand that this job is like meditation for him.

"So, what's up?" Lisa asked curiously. He seemed as if he called for something else.

"I need a favor," he said slowly.

"..." Lisa stayed quiet. "I'm listening."

"Can you send me the footage of what happened in the club?" Brandon asked, his eyes narrowing as he thought back to that night.

"Again?!" Lisa sighed with exasperation. "Brandon, Stella was telling the truth. Okay? Why can't you take her word for it?"

"I already did," he said calmly. "And that's why I need a way to fire Skylar. I've been waiting for weeks to get a good excuse and this is more than enough."

"Brandon, I can't do that even if I wanted to. I didn't get access to this footage under legal terms, you know. I asked a favor from a friend who works in the police department. And I promised that I wouldn't share or email it to anyone else. And that includes you," Lisa explained glumly.

"What the hell?!" Brandon sat up with an angry glare. "Well, I'm not going to drive two hours to see that video. Switch onto a video conference and play it on your computer."

Lisa sighed, knowing that there no getting through him. "Are you sure? I'm asking you as a friend. You and Skylar were together before. You sure it won't affect your relationship with Stella?"

He paused at her question. "Just play it. Please," Brandon asked.

Lisa sighed. "I'll just send it to you."

"...Thank you, Lisa," he said quietly with gratitude.

He received an email from her a few minutes later which contained a private link. He opened the link and downloaded the file only to see the video was about an hour long. He was surprised at the length of it. Opening the file curiously, he watched as the tape ran. The camera was shot up from a slightly higher angle from the bar, giving him an overview of the club's interior. And sure enough, he spotted the girls entering the area. Come on, it's not that hard to spot five beautiful women in cocktail dresses.

Brandon narrowed his focus on Stella. His eyes clouded with warmth at her excitement. All she wanted was to have fun with her friends. With a deep breath, he pressed play again.

 _Skylar kept her eyes on the blonde, much like how a vulture greedily eyes its prey. The blonde was sitting on a bar stool and casually looking around. Skylar knew that this was it. From the conversation earlier, Brandon will be here in, give or take, twenty to thirty minutes. And she needed to hurry up if she wanted her plan to execute._

 _She eyed the bottle in her hands. Sleeping pills. She eyed the dosage with a frown. She hoped that it wasn't too high. She didn't want to hurt Stella. She just wanted to break up their relationship somehow._

Brandon let out a deep, shuddering breath at this torture. He spotted Skylar standing just a few feet away from Stella. The former hadn't changed her outfit from the party either. Stella was oblivious as she appeared to be on her phone.

 _Skylar cruised her way to the blonde, pushing past sweaty people quite irritably. Her dark frown turned into one of indifference before composing to a surprised glance. She stood behind Stella before tapping her shoulder. The blonde turned around in response._

 _Skylar's eyes widened in surprise. "I knew it! I knew you looked familiar!"_

 _The blonde stared at her in confusion. "...Hi...?"_

 _"I'm Rose," Skylar smiled before extending her hand._

Brandon paused the video impulsively. His heart started to race already and nothing even happened yet.

He played the video again. He didn't know what they were even talking about. He muted the video long back, knowing that it was pointless to try to hear two women speaking in the midst of loud, crazy music.

They ordered something from the bar and continued talking.

 _Skylar looked around for the perfect time to slip the pill into the blonde's drink. The bartender arrived with their drinks and set them on the counter._ _They took each of their drinks before sipping slowly while engaging in some conversation._

 _Skylar_ _slipped her hand into the bottle of pills within her club's shadowy interior gave her perfect camouflage to do her thing without getting all suspicious. She took a single pill from the bottle and enclosed her fist as she held one within._ _She kept the blonde talking for as long as she could before she realized that time was running out, which means that Brandon will be here very soon._

 _She checked the time with a frown. "I'm so sorry to cut this short. But I really have to go," Skylar sighed, feigning disappointment._

 _"Sure, no problem. It was nice meeting you," Stella_ smiled _politely._

 _"You too," Skylar smiled. "Have a nice night," she said while picking up her things. Realizing that she had Stella's complete attention, she picked up her handbag and moved her hand underneath the bag to surreptitiously slip the pills into the orange juice._

 _YES! Skylar glowed with excitement._

Brandon paused the video, his heart rate increasing with each second. What the actual hell?!

 _Why...? Why did you do this, Sky...?_ he sighed sadly to himself. This wasn't the bold, yet adventurous Sky he knew. There was always this inexplicable fire within her. That's what attracted him to her. She was fierce, yet also loving and kind.

But now...she looked so different. _Unrecognizable._

She made a mistake. _A huge_ _mistake._

Skylar left the scene according to this camera. But he knew she was in the club that night, watching Stella's moves very closely. How else would she get those pictures?!

With slightly shaking fingers, he resumed watching the video again.

Stella appeared normal. She went back to surfing on her phone before a small smile bloomed on her lips. He checked the time on the footage and realized that _that_ was the exact time Stella had texted him, wondering he was.

He fast forwarded a little and stopped abruptly when he saw Stella shifting uncomfortably in her seat. He watched as she clutched her stomach almost tightly and scoured for presumably Musa. They were talking about something. Musa looked worried and Stella looked downright uncomfortable.

 _She really was going to go home,_ he thought to himself before crossing his arms.

The video suddenly shifted to a new view of the club. He guessed that Lisa must've pieced the relevant clips and taped them together.

He sat up in a jolt when he saw Stella walking all wobbly and barely being able to walk. _That's why she didn't remember anything._ She was out cold long before he found her. Whatever Skylar put in her drink, Stella felt the full effect of it in minutes.

Brandon's eyes darkened into a glare when a random, buff guy came out of nowhere in a heavily drunken state and groped her. Anger coursed through his body as his hands formed into fists. This must be the same bastard who took Stella upstairs forcibly and tried to sleep with her.

Brandon angrily shut the laptop's lid, unable to continue any more.

He put his head in his hands before reflecting on what he just saw. _I'm sorry, Stell,_ he thought sadly, feeling guilty that he was unable to protect her. And worst of all, for a split second, he had actually believed that she cheated on him and even accused her of it.

And despite viewing the footage, he still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that it was Skylar. _The woman he had once loved._ He thought he knew her better than this. When they were together, it didn't take long for their relationship to escalate quickly.

 _"Brandon, stop!" Skylar giggled as she fell back on the bed laughing._

 _"Give me one reason why I should," he smirked while tickling her mercilessly._

 _"Because my parents will be home any time soon and I don't want them to give us the bird and bees talk!" she smirked._

 _He smirked while climbing on top of her. "Too late for that," he smugly grinned before he crashed his lips against hers passionately. She moaned into his lips as his hands inched up her dress greedily while she tugged at his belt testily._

Regardless of his past, no matter what happens, he'll never choose Skylar over Stella. That relationship ended long back.

Stella didn't deserve that kind of treachery. And besides, he sincerely loved and _loves_ Stella more than anything. His feelings toward her haven't wavered since they started dating.

His body started to cool at the mere thought of her. Her beautiful smile was enough to make his day. Like any other human being, there are times when he felt weak and vulnerable, not that he would admit that to anyone and especially to her. But...with a simple, charming glance of hers, she somehow makes everything okay. She changed him so much and for the better. No one can truly erase any memory of torment or hurt resulting from a dark past, but Stella certainly eased all of that pain.

He loved the simple things she did. Holding her close felt like gaining the entire universe and nothing else mattered. Everything seemed so small and insignificant compared to her. Stella is just...she's _perfect._ He felt so obsessed with her that it was starting to scare him.

When he first met her in the coffee shop _(ahh, good ol' times)_ , he was surprised to say in the least. He wasn't expecting to see her there, much less bump into her.

As he continued to fall deeper for her, he realized how much of a _gem_ she is. She had the gifted ability to make his worries vanish just like that, in the blink of an eye.

For making him so happy, so fulfilled, cherishing, loving, and treasuring her for the rest of his life is how he can pay her back. Being her _everything_ is how he can pay her back.

And the _first_ step in that is being honest with her.

* * *

 **~ Princeton University - 12:00 PM ~**

Stella sighed in bliss as she walked by herself through the campus. She just bid Bloom and Tecna as they scurried off to their classes.

But honestly, she didn't mind the lack of company. She loved being alone sometimes. It always gave her the pleasure to think about Brandon and nothing in this world amounted to the happiness he gave her.

Not many couples are affectionate on a daily basis. They might unconditionally love each other, but still may not be as openly emotional. But...she's lucky to have such a person in her life. Brandon never ceased to make her feel special. And he made sure that she _knew_ it.

She checked her watch and her grin widened when she saw the clock ticking by quite quickly.

It won't be long till she goes home now.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ 4:30 PM ~**

Brandon waited for Stella to come home. He felt apprehensive about the things he had planned for them today. He couldn't hold back anymore. He couldn't stand deceiving her any longer and pretending like he was fine with it.

His ears perked up when he heard the car pull up in the driveway. He instantly opened the blinds in each room, letting light fill the house. He went back to the living room when he heard the front being opened. His eyes smiled when he saw her enter.

She looked up and greeted him with an enthusiastic smile. "Hi! You're up!" she grinned.

He took her bag before placing it to the side. "Hi, Sunshine," he softly smiled before opening his arms for her. She wasted no time in immersing herself in him.

"How do you feel?" she asked in concern.

"Better," he answered simply, letting her sigh in relief.

"I think this is the first time I'm seeing you sick," she frowned, separating from him.

He simply hummed in agreement. "I'm fine," he tiredly smiled down at her.

"Sure?" she asked worriedly before feeling his forehead for any temperature.

He hugged her to his chest again. His eyes burned with the desire to just...come out clean. What did he have to lose anyway? He felt apprehensive because he honestly don't know what to expect from Stella. She's really sensitive and heavily sentimental. She'll either cry and feel terribly insecure of herself _or_ she'll be totally pissed off for hiding _such_ a huge thing from her. Either way, he's screwed. _Big time._ But...he knew that he can't put off telling her. In a way, he felt like he was cheating her.

 _It's better to hurt someone with a harsh truth than comfort them with a bewitching lie._

"I need to talk to you," he finally said, mustering some courage.

"Okay," she chirped happily, obviously delighted to see him feeling better. He still looked a little weak, but still. He was better.

He led them to sit on the couch. Sinking into the soft brown cushion, he pulled her close before turning to face her. She had a pleasant smile on her face and that only made it harder. She was smiling after so long that he didn't really know where to start.

"Stell," he started out slowly.

"Yeah?" she beamed at him, making him sigh at her happiness. She's such a joyful and beautiful girl that he didn't have the heart to wipe that gorgeous smile away.

Without a word, he pulled her into his lap and gave her a faint smile before it disappeared altogether. He didn't respond for a long moment. She started to play with his shirt, a weird habit of hers whenever she's in a good mood. He stopped her doodling fingers by placing his hands over hers.

"Are you happy with me?" he suddenly asked out of the blue.

"Of course I am, silly," she replied, sending him a beautiful smile. Seeing a little dull sigh escape his lips, her giddy grin turned into a concerned frown. "Why? What's wrong?"

He leaned forward before touching her forehead with his own. "You really are happy, right?" he asked softly. "I make you happy, right? You're not here because you're afraid of me or—"

Stella opened her mouth in protest. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I hurt you plenty of times...didn't I? How could you still be happy with me?" he asked sadly.

Stella blinked. "Huh?" she blurted in confusion. "When did you hurt me?" she asked while looking at herself.

"Not physically," he sighed when he saw her checking herself out. "Emotionally. Like...on that weekend? I yelled at you."

"Really?" she asked him sourly, tossing him a dry look. "Brandon, it was just a fight. Sheesh."

"A fight that changed our plans and landed us in this house," he pointed with a sigh.

"...Okay. So? Do you want to go back to the way it was?" she asked, not understanding what he really wanted.

"You are happy...right?" he whispered, his lips lightly brushing against hers.

"What's wrong?" she frowned in concern. "Of course I'm happy with you. Is that what it is? Brand, you had every right to yell at me! Like, didn't I yell at you when I thought you were cheating on me with Lisa? Okay, people make mistakes. And on your birthday, **I** was the one who made the mistake."

He let out a dull sigh. Admitting the truth is just hard. "...No. It wasn't you. It was me."

She frowned. "What are you talking about?" she asked in concern.

He watched her features morph into curiosity. She waited expectantly for his answer but what should he tell her?

 _"Oh hey, Stella! Guess what? My ex returned and she's the reason you nearly slept with someone else!"_

Yeah... _no_. It would be _sooooo_ much easier if he had at least a _faint_ guess of how Stella might react.

 _Oh screw it. Let's just spit it out and see how it goes,_ his subconscious demanded. He imagined a little red devil with pointy horns sitting by his shoulder. _Fine. Screw this shit,_ he cursed under his breath before deciding to let it out once and for all.

"...Do you know...do you know why I fell in love with you?" he suddenly asked, taking her by surprise.

"Huh?" She stared at him and blinked. Where did this come from?

"One of the reasons is that you didn't remind me of someone I used to know," he answered his own question, bewildering her with his answer. Seeing her confusion, he chuckled. You usually love someone who reminds you of someone else. At least, that's how the popular saying goes. "Ironic, isn't it?"

He continued. "...You were the exact opposite of me. I didn't know how you managed to laugh so easily. I didn't understand how you were able to trust someone so easily. And when we broke up...I missed you. I missed you like crazy. I kept seeing you everywhere but...you were never here in the first place."

She remembered. How could she forget? It was one of the darkest times of her life.

 _One year..._

It was _still_ a wonder to her on how it went by. Honestly, it didn't feel like an year. It felt like an eternity. And she never could forget the way she pined her entire being away for him. How could she? How could she forget the number of times she cried herself to sleep? Her life had slipped away from her and there was nothing she could do about it. She saw him everywhere too.

 _Stella wandered through the campus, barely being able to push the tears back. A big lump formed in her throat, choking her and never going away. But she couldn't help it. She couldn't thinking about him. She couldn't help wonder what he's wearing right now, what's he's eating, what he would say if he was here..._

 _Stella shut her eyes to stop the tears. They threatened to break through her closed eyelids but she will not cry in front of everyone._

 _"Hey, Brandon!" someone shouted behind her. "Long time, no see, man!"_

 _Stella's ears immediately perked at the name as she turned around frantically. She searched the crowd greedily for any sign of the familiar chestnut-brown hair._

 _"Sup, dude?" a blonde guy laughed in response._

 _And that was it. She went nuts. Her heart bled when she saw someone ELSE respond. With tears erupting in her eyes, she furiously turned around. This was cruel. How can fate hate her so much?! She hated this life and she hated him for making her feel this way!_

 _With glaring red eyes, Stella furiously took out her phone before hastily opening her bank account. Without another thought, she made a wireless transaction which transferred a huge sum of money from her account into his. Without another word, she clasped her phone shut. She'll NEVER forgive him for this._

After the breakup, she didn't know what to do with herself. She threw herself into books and academics to distract herself. It was the only solace she had at her side.

But now...she felt like that year was a _long_ time ago even though it's barely been three months. It was early March and they got together sometime in mid-December. _Three months._

She skipped back to reality when he opened his lips to speak.

"I yelled at you, I scolded you, and I even hurt you plenty of times like you were my property," he said with hurt, giving her an apologetic glance.

Her eyes widened at his absurd conclusions. "What? No, stop saying—"

He silenced her lips with his finger when she looked like she was going to protest. "I didn't understand till yesterday. I didn't understand why I felt and _still_ feel so overprotective of you."

He continued,"I thought...I thought if I kept this from you, you'd be better off. I thought I was protecting you from heartache. Maybe I was or maybe I wasn't. But I was lying straight to your face and I was cheating you everyday while claiming that I love you."

"W-What...?" her voice fell as her heart plunged to her stomach. She stiffened as she refused to blink. She slowly got up from his lap and crossed her arms, trying to process what he just said. Did he just say that he cheated on her? No...no, he didn't. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't break her heart.

He blinked back tears when he saw her distancing herself from him. She watched on stunned at seeing the invisible tears falling painfully down his face."I know you will find out about this someday. But...I'd rather you hear it from me," he told her before standing up.

"...You c-cheated on me?" she croaked out as her heart stopped beating.

His eyes widened at her words. Tears erupted in her eyes. "What? No, no, no, no, no," he rushed to her before shaking his head firmly. A tear slipped down her eye as she stared at him with fear. "Sunshine, I didn't cheat on you," he quickly corrected his words before pulling her closer.

"T-Then why...? Why are you talking like this?" Stella sniffled. "Are we breaking up?" she asked with a cracked voice.

He pulled back enough to see that she was crying. Her body shook with fear as she covered her face with her hands. "Stell?" he addressed before removing her hands from her face. "Sunshine, we're not breaking up," he told her firmly.

"Then why are you talking like that?!" she sniffled, looking into his eyes.

He gently cleaned the tears away from her face using his thumbs. "...Just listen to me. Okay?" he sighed.

A long moment of silence passed. Brandon took a deep breath before starting. "Do you remember that I told you I loved someone else before?" he said softly.

Stella's eyes widened. _Why is he talking about her?_ she thought in confusion. She slowly nodded. He did tell her. He was heartbroken for a few years over some girl. In fact, she was the reason Stella faced his nonacceptance in the beginning.

"Well...I didn't just love her. We...She and I...we were together," he said slowly, trying to frame his sentences without choking on them.

Stella's eyes widened as she stared at him. _What...? They were together...?_ She always thought that he had some kind of an unrequited love or something. She thought that _that_ itself was the reason he just chose to hate all women in general.

"We were in a relationship. A very _serious_ relationship," he softly said, cutting in her thoughts.

"...How serious?" Stella asked slowly with nervousness. She wasn't sure whether or not she should be scared of a relationship status that ended a long time ago.

"...I loved her," he told her a little more firmly. "We were really in love and...something happened and then everything just fell apart." Brandon frowned at the memory. His eyes clouded with pain and _anger._ And for good reason. _Not exactly the brightest part of his life._

"Oh," she said. "But...why are you telling me this...?"

"Didn't you want to know?" he retorted on cue with a question of his own. He did remember her asking him for his history of romance early into their relationship. But...she dropped it when he firmly told her that he didn't want to talk about it.

Stella nodded slightly at his question. "I did...but why now? Why today?"

Brandon sighed. Now _this_ was the hard part. He tried to look her in the eye, but his gaze just repelled.

That's when Stella realized that...this must be _so_ hard for him. She slowly processed that he just told her something that cut a deep scar into his heart. Something that wounded him so greatly to the point where he lost everyone he cared about. Something that took his strength and ability to trust people in general. He always got angry whenever she even made a _hint_ of the topic. But who could blame her? She always wanted to know _why_ and _who_ was responsible for him turning into such an ill-tempered, aggressive man. And...today, he let her in. He let her peek into his past. Not just peek but actually _see_ it from up close.

Without another word, she closed the gap between them and threw her arms around his neck before hugging him tightly. "I'm not upset," she said sincerely. "What's there for me to be upset about?" she asked gently.

 _I'd like to hear you say that again in ten seconds,_ he scoffed internally. "Stella...she's the reason I'm here," he suddenly said.

"Huh?" She looked confused. "What are you..." Stella trailed off suddenly before her jaw fell open and she pulled back to look at him in shock and disbelief.

"Yeah," he nodded, confirming her hunch. "Her middle name is Rose. _That's_ the name she used with you to introduce herself. I asked Lisa to investigate what happened on that night. And...that Rose had drugged your goddamn drink with something."

Stella's eyes widened as she tried to process that new information. "W-Wait...w-what?" she choked out. Her stance fell short when she felt the gears turn. Her mind turned into a carousel of thoughts. His recent visit to NY, coming home late in a depressed mood, falling sick, and now _this..._ they can't all be a well-formulated coincidence. "Is that why you went back the other day?" she suddenly asked.

He nodded. "Her name is Skylar Rose Black," he told her softly.

Stella's brain clicked. _Skylar..._ now the name sounds _sooo_ familiar! She couldn't recall it when Skylar introduced herself. She knew that she met this Rose at the gala,but she couldn't pinpoint the exact event.

 _Consumed in her own world, she crashed into someone that sent her nearly tumbling._

 _"What the-?!" the other person, obviously a woman, exclaimed startled._

 _"I'm so sorry!" Stella exclaimed after balancing herself._

 _The other girl was beyond gorgeous. Gorgeous enough for girls to go ga-ga over her. Her long raven-black hair hung in waterfall waves past her back. Her silvery shimmery dress gave enough way for cleavage to leave little to the imagination. A daring slit ran up the girl's thigh and nearly till her hip. Her makeup was bold, yet still edgy. "Maybe you should watch where you're going the next time," she hissed._

 _"Hold up. I know you. You're Brandon's wife, aren't you?" Skylar looked at Stella with narrowed eyes._

 _Stella smiled tightly. "Yeah. That's me."_

 _"It's nice to meet you. I'm Skylar Black," Skylar smiled._

"And...she works under me now," Brandon finished a little strenuously, interrupting her memory recollection.

"WHAT?!" Stella shouted in shock, having stayed silent up till now. "EXCUSE ME?!"

 _And here it is, ladies and gentlemen!_ He covered his ears. He _knew_ things were going a little too well for some reason. _He knew it!_

"YOU'RE WORKING WITH HER?!" she shouted angrily, grabbing his collar.

Brandon gulped at the fire within her that pretty much blazed out of nowhere. He may have the courage and strength to take a bullet for this girl, but he can never withstand her rage. "Sunshine—" he tried to chill things down.

"Don't sunshine and rainbows me!" she growled. "I want an explanation, Brandon Shields, and I want it _RIGHT NOW_ or I'm going to kill you!" she screeched madly.

"It was a recent thing!" he gulped, throwing his hands up in surrender. He told her how Skylar showed up unexpectedly right after Stella's birthday and started working since then. She didn't get hired under his supervision. He leaves the office ONE weekend and boom! Unexpected realities ensue.

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously at his story. "..."

"I swear!" he tried helplessly when she sent him a glare that practically said lying to her will be a _big_ mistake.

"So...let me get this right," she hissed. _Uh oh,_ he gulped. _Something's wrong._ "She has been back for a month or so and you didn't feel the need to tell me about her?" Stella said in a calm tone, but one cannot mistake the fury in her eyes. Her ears turned red as steam came out of them. _Shit,_ he thought.

Seeing his speechlessness, Stella glared. "...I'm not mad that your crazy ass ex, _no offense_ , did what she did, but I'm mad that _you_ didn't tell me about it!"

"I just did," Brandon said helplessly.

"Why didn't you tell me that she was back?!" Stella shouted in his ear, swinging him by his collar left and right.

He tried to wiggle out of her death grip because she looked just about ready to snap his neck. "Because she's not in my life anymore!" Brandon shouted suddenly, silencing his crazy blonde. "She...she's not part of my life anymore. She's just a stranger to me."

Stella huffed. "Well, clearly she isn't! She's working for you! How can you just not tell me about that?! Do you really think that's fair to me?! I don't care what you feel for her, but you had the responsibility to tell me! You apparently found the time to tell me what you had for lunch, what movie you watched, but you couldn't tell me about her?!" she yelled angrily.

Brandon sighed, rubbing his forehead. "That's not fair, Stella," he said with strain. "I...I had a hard time too," he said guiltily.

"YOU didn't have your name plastered across headlines!" Stella yelled, grabbing his collar. "You didn't turn into a whore overnight!" she said with pain in her eyes. Her sight clouded with tears. She can never forget that anxiety. She can never forget such a huge sin and accusation being planted on her. People observing from afar don't pay attention to others' mental well-beings, but if they did, they would realize the breakdown they're causing others.

"You didn't have that," Stella sniffled. "I had to bear everyone's suspicious eyes and I had to..." she sniffled, trailing off. She turned the other way, trying not to cry. The pain was still fresh. She felt worse than a criminal. Hearing accusations that she didn't love someone enough to stay loyal to them _hurt._ The wounds started to heal only when the recent headlines dismissed all the accusations three days ago.

He can understand. He saw the footage himself. He had been beating himself over it since the video. He couldn't even imagine the way she's feeling now. He sadly gazed at her. "Stell...I'm so sorry," he told her with apologetic eyes.

Stella sniffled when he held her from behind. "I'm so sorry," she heard him repeat. She shut her eyes at his words before opening them a few seconds later. "...I know," she choked out before clearing her eyes of moisture.

He turned her to face him. Her anger somehow sizzled away but she still held bitter tears within.

"So...she's been around for a month?" she asked slowly. "One month?"

He raised an eyebrow at the stutter in her voice. Lifting her face up by the chin, he saw what he feared and anticipated the most. _Insecurity and the need for reassurance._ She barely held his gaze.

"I don't have any cliched resurfacing of old feelings," he promised her.

The emotions she held within came tumbling out. Tears slipped past her eyes. "Then why does she still work for you? Why can't you fire her?!" Stella sniffled, barely being able to hold back a cry.

He gingerly pulled her close. "Sunshine...do you really think that I haven't thought of that? If I do that, you will be in the news _again."_

"Why?" she asked tearfully.

"What's the guarantee that I didn't tell Skylar to drug your drink?" he softly asked her, quoting the exact words Lisa told him the other day.

Stella's eyes widened. "W-What? Are you serious?"

"Stell...there is _so_ much that you don't know. There's so much that you won't understand, but believe me when I say this. Not taking any action against her is the best course," he told her gently.

"...Can you answer something else...?" Stella bit her lip.

He nodded, urging her to go on.

"...You said that you both were really serious...how serious was it?" she asked with a nervous tone.

His eyes widened. Did she really think he asked Skylar to do all this just because he was serious about her once? "Stel, it doesn't matter. I _am_ telling the truth. If you don't believe me, ask Lisa."

She shook her head. "I wasn't asking because I think you're lying or something. Since the topic came up anyway...I'm curious," she shrugged before her voice fell. "How serious were you and Skylar?" she asked nervously in a small voice.

He pulled her into his arms before wiping away the tears on her face. "What is it that you _really_ want to ask?" he ushered gently, already having a faint idea of what's running in her mind.

"Did...did you and her ever...?" Stella trailed off awkwardly, not knowing if she should be upset or not at his answer.

He sighed before caressing her face. "...She was my first, if that's what you wanted to know," he replied truthfully.

She knew that his relationship ended long back, but she couldn't help the hurt that suddenly flashed across her face. For some reason, it stung. Stella nodded slowly with a sad sigh.

But in the back of her mind, she always knew. She always had a feeling that she wasn't Brandon's first. She knew that. When it was her first time, she remembered how nervous and self-conscious she felt of herself. He, on the other hand...he was fine. He acted like he knew what he was doing, almost as if he had prior experience.

"It was...over, right?" she asked fearfully before letting out a small sob. He grew even more concerned when she hid her face in his chest.

"Stell, I promise you. I have _zero_ feelings for her," he said gently. "Shh, why are you crying?"

"I really love you, Brandon," she sobbed. "I don't want to lose you."

"Look at me, okay?" he said, pulling her back enough to see her tear-stained face. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

Stella nodded with a sniffle. Of course she did. Undoubtedly and unconditionally, she trusted him _and_ loved him with everything she had.

"Then trust me when I say that Skylar and I...we're over," he said gently. "There's absolutely _nothing_ between us."

"But...she's your first love..." Stella said slowly.

"So?" he raised an eyebrow.

"...Doesn't a part of you still love her?" she asked with a hiccup.

He laughed at her innocent question before cupping her face. "Baby, who told you that?" he chuckled gently. "Okay...what about Jason? You loved him for five years and you had a terrible breakup with him. Do you still love him? Forget love. Do you still care for him?"

Her eyes widened before she vigorously shook her head 'no'. Hell no, she did not.

"Exactly. It was five years ago," he told her. "It doesn't even matter."

"I don't know what I'll do without you," Stella sniffled.

"Thankfully, you'll never have to find out," he chuckled, hugging her back. "Just... _think. Think_ hard for a second. Why would I tell you about her if there was still something going on between me and her?" He hugged her tightly. "You're everything to me, Stell. Don't _ever_ think that you're worth any less."

She looked into the deep brown eyes that never gazed at her with anything other than love and comfort. Why should she be mad at him because of something his crazy-assed ex did? It wasn't fair to him or herself. This was _exactly_ what Skylar wanted. The aftermath is always more painful and leads to unforeseen events than the actual devastation.

It's not fair to blame him. He did nothing wrong. He didn't even have to tell her and she never would've known. But he did. He was honest with her.

"So...so...you said you saw the video. I didn't do anything wrong, right?" she asked as a tear slipped down her cheek.

He smiled. "No, Sunshine," he told her gently. "For the record, I don't need to watch a video to answer that."

"Can I watch it too?" she sniffled. She reached for his laptop before he pulled her back into his arms.

"I don't want you to," he answered, placing his head on her shoulder.

Her eyes widened. Why not? "...What did I do?" she sobbed.

"You did nothing," he said firmly. "Nothing happened to you, okay? I don't want you to see yourself like that."

They stood in the living room silently, just listening to each other breathe. This was a lot to process. She felt overwhelmed and therefore, didn't know how to react or think. Should she be sad? Or happy that nothing out of line happened? Or angry that she was drugged and led on to believe she cheated on the very man she loved?

"...Why do you even love me?" Stella asked after a long time. "Skylar is so much more prettier," she rambled. And she wasn't just saying that. Skylar is really beautiful. She was the perfect package of beauty with brains, who isn't afraid to _flaunt_ all of it with charismatic confidence. Not fair at all.

 _And I?_ Stella snorted to herself. _I look ridiculous._ She tripped everywhere, she was shy as hell, and she's probably the most awkward person on the planet when it came to social gatherings filled with unknown people. She's annoying and irritating. Even Brandon said that so _plenty_ of times.

She sighed and looked at him, waiting expectantly for a good answer.

"No. She isn't," he said with a laugh. "But I do admit that she didn't cry very often. You, on the other hand..." he teased, trailing off.

Stella gasped at his accusation. "How dare you!" she shrilly exclaimed. "Well, it's YOUR fault for making me cry so much!"

He started to laugh before his expression turned serious. "She may be someone I loved once, but...I've never loved _any_ other girl the way I love you. And I never will. Okay?" he softly spoke before catching her tears.

She stared at him in silence before nodding.

"Remember how we first got together?" he smiled slightly, changing the topic to a recall a lighthearted, yet vivid memory.

Her sniffle instantly turned into a small smile at the memory. "The pool? I hated the weather for interrupting," she giggled.

He laughed. "Yeah. I did too. We grew so much since then, didn't we? Now, I even know when you have your period."

She burst out laughing before hitting him on the shoulder, making him follow as well as he blocked her punches. "Stop!" she giggled, her cheeks flushing brightly.

He chuckled at her logic. He let out a deep, contented sigh. "We really grew so much, didn't we?" he whispered in nostalgia.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," he sighed. "I was an _idiot_ to not realize anything when you told me it was some random Rose. I should've known. But I didn't even expect this from her."

"...would you've been able to stop whatever it is that she did? I know you. If you could've stopped her, you would've. But some things are just meant to happen. You can't win in every situation," she said softly. "The thing that I'm grateful for is that I'm the one here with you today. You still want me in your life and you didn't run back to her."

"Why wouldn't I want you?" he asked in confusion. "You're gorgeous, Stell," he whispered while hugging her close. "You're so, so beautiful and I will never dream of leaving you. I admit I loved her once but...I promise that it's in the past. Even if the two of us don't work out for whatever reason..." he trailed off when fear flashed in her eyes. "Only hypothetically, Sunshine," he assured quickly before giving her a loving smile. "But...even if we don't work out, there still will be nothing between me and Skylar," he swore. And he meant it. He knew what he wanted. And he is adamant about it. Skylar's entry never changed his feelings towards Stella, _just like he expected._

Her eyes glistened at his words. She nodded with happiness as she gave him a small smile.

"So...we're okay?" he asked, just to make sure. He rubbed his forehead tiredly, which she didn't go unnoticed by her.

"You're using your sickness to your advantage, aren't you?" she raised a suspicious eyebrow.

He smirked. "Depends. Is it working?"

A small smile burst forth her lips. "Yes. It is," she laughed before standing on her toes to kiss him.

He kissed her back before it escalated passionately into something else entirely. Her soft whimpers made him go nuts as he ran his fingers along her sides, violating every inch of her and making her gasp _(this man with his fingers)_ in the process. A few seconds later, they're both in their bedroom, falling back on the bed before making a mess out of the sheets.

"I thought you didn't want me to get sick," she teased from below him, blushing heavily at the intense look he gave her.

He grinned. "I'll take care of you, if that's the case," he whispered before their lips touched once more.

* * *

 _ **A long while later...**_

The hug of his gentle, yet strong arms made her float in heaven. Her body melted into his as her every muscle lost its tension and worry. She cooed in pleasure as he held her close while placing kisses on her cheek and neck every now and then.

"Like that?" he whispered while massaging her shoulders. She nodded immediately and hid her face into his chest. "I don't ever want to leave from here. This is heaven," she cooed in pleasure while pulling herself closer to him.

"Then don't leave," he smirked before forming it into a loving smile.

He wasn't in anything below heaven either. Hugging her is probably one of the best feelings he could ever experience in their relationship. After mind-blowing intimacy, he loved the quiet conversations they had. He loved her playfulness and her childishly adorable rambles.

Stella closed her eyes in peace as her body tingled from his touches. She tried to keep them open, but she was so comfortable in his embrace. The soft mattress underneath her and the warmth of the sheets didn't help her either.

He smiled when her body grew limp against his. "Sleep if you want to," he ushered before kissing her forehead, seeing her attempts to slap herself awake.

"No...you'll leave by the time I wake up," she yawned.

He chuckled. "Not tonight," he smiled. "I'll wake you in an hour, okay? Get some rest."

Stella sighed. "Honestly...will we ever have a normal weekend for once?" she asked in an exasperated voice. _ONE_ normal weekend was all she asked for. But _no._ The weekend barely passed and a bomb revolving around a crazy ex has been dropped on her.

He stared at her for a second before laughing. "The next one, I promise, will be better," he said warmly.

"Well, it better," she shook her head. "I'm tired of the drama in our relationship."

He chuckled at her response.

But what she said actually stuck to him. She was right. There was too much drama in their relationship. It was one thing after the other. Their relationship hasn't reached an emotional stability yet and it was putting a strain on both of them.

Brandon watched her before sighing to himself. Today, there was some progress. He actually felt relieved and free...for the most part. The evening went a _lot_ better than he had originally anticipated. She was blissfully unaware of his gaze on her. And he was okay with that. Despite coming clean with her, his heart churned uneasily. Because beneath all the dark tears of his past, there was still _one_ thing that he didn't tell her.

He still felt stressed. That's _because I didn't tell her the full story,_ he frowned deeply, repeating himself, as he held her closer. _And I can't...I won't._

He shifted himself to face the ceiling as a dark, unpleasant frown etched into his face. Skylar's and his breakup was less than amicable. The reason for their split was just left...unspoken. It tore two families apart. _Two families that never saw each other's faces again._

"I'm sorry, Sunshine," he whispered, frowning sadly at her. He caressed her cheek with his thumb before tucking a small lock of blonde hair behind her ear affectionately. "I'm sorry," he whispered before clutching her close.

He loved her to death, he really did, but this is something that he can't tell her. This was something that he vowed long back to carry to _his_ grave. For the sake of his _family._

And...

 _What could be more important than family?_

* * *

 _ **One month later...**_

A month passed quietly. Nothing out of the ordinary happened (thank the lord for that). As for last's month's headlines, people eventually learn to forget and move on from rumors and tabloids, dismissing them as nothing more than absurd speculations.

Meanwhile, the two worked on spending some quality time together. God knew they needed that. Juggling between college and work, they both got busy.

For Stella, spring break was just around the corner in about a week or so. That was also when Flora's wedding was. Layla is the maid of honor for the wedding while Nabu is the best man, leaving the other eight as bridesmaids and groomsmen. Flora was also into her _sixth_ month of pregnancy. Her wedding dress will proudly show off her baby bump. Wow, time flew by fast. Both her and Helia decided to let the baby be born without knowing the gender. She rooted for a daughter, like any mother, and like any father, Helia wished for a son. But in the end, the gender doesn't matter as long as the baby is born healthy.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House, New Jersey - 8:00 PM ~**

"Again?" Stella asked with a frown. Brandon just told her that he'll have to go back to New York tomorrow morning for something important. _As usual,_ she sighed.

"Just for business. Nothing more," he reassured. "I'll be back by evening. You'll see."

"But...we have to go back home for the wedding anyway! Can't you wait till then?" Stella said with an unhappy huff. They only had another week before Stella's break starts and coincidentally, the wedding too. She flopped on the bed as he organized a few files that he needed to take tomorrow.

"Unless you want me in the office during your spring break, I have to go," he sighed.

Her eyes widened in horror. "No!" she stood up and rushed to him. "Promise me that you'll stay with me."

"Stell, stop. What the heck are you doing?" he groaned in irritation before pushing her away.

Stubborn as she is, she followed him around the room before he stopped at his desk in the corner. She used the opportunity to hug him tightly from behind. "I want you to stay with me," she childishly said in a stubborn voice.

"Now you're just being too annoying," he chuckled.

"Say that you'll stay at home for spring break!" she screeched, refusing to let him go.

"Okay, okay, now let me go," he sighed. He turned around to go to the living room but she stood in front of him, blocking his way. "Sunshine..." he started in exasperation.

"Promise me!" she chirped, extending her hand for him to take.

He sighed before pulling her close by her shoulders. "I promise, okay?" he assured before quickly pecking her cheek. "Now quit annoying me because I'll definitely forget something I need to take for tomorrow."

He moved her aside before grabbing a few papers from here and there. Stella followed him casually, bored out of her mind. "It's really for business, right?"

"Yesss," he sighed in annoyance. "Stell, please. I need to focus. I have the board meeting tomorrow and I can't miss it, alright?!"

"Okay, okay, but one more question!" she asked.

He sighed and turned around to face her, adamant to get her annoying questionnaire over with. "What?" he shook his head in sheer irritation. Now she was being too damn annoying.

"...Will you meet...her when you go?" she asked in an unsure voice.

His eyes widened at her question. She looked almost nervous and it didn't take a brainer to know that _'her'_ refers to Skylar. After he told Stella everything, even though she did cry for a few minutes, she felt okay later. She didn't pressure him into answering insecure, clingy questions. But most of all, he didn't sense any jealousy from her. There was literally nothing there to be jealous about, but hey, you never know.

He thought for a moment about what she asked before pulling her into a gentle hug. "I won't answer that," he said. "Think for yourself and come to an answer."

Her eyes widened at his answer. Her lips broke into a small smile when she realized that she was worried for nothing.

"Happy?" he smiled, lifted her face up using his fingers. Her golden-honey eyes twinkled with joy that he couldn't look away. He pressed his forehead against hers before sighing in peace. "See...this is why I tell you to stay away when I'm busy. I can't focus when I'm with you."

She blushed at his words. "Be back soon," she smiled.

He chuckled before giving her a tight hug. "Always," he smiled before pecking her on the cheek. "Love you."

Call her selfish as hell, but she always wanted to spend her entire free time with him. They surprisingly haven't fought in the past month and things were going really well. They weren't so serious as before. The past month had been so much fun. They went out more and practically tried every restaurant there is in the city. They don't go on dates that often, so it was really special.

They partied during their free time in the house, both doing those weird, cliched couple things together (at _her_ insistence, no doubt). Cooking, drawing (childish, they know), watching movies, playing board games, randomly dancing, and you name it. It really brightened their relationship in a way.

"I'm going to finish up here, so can you set dinner?" he asked.

She nodded with a smile. He let her go and watched her head out into the kitchen before resuming whatever it is he was doing before she rudely interrupted.

* * *

 _ **The next morning...**_

 **~ 5:00 AM ~**

Brandon walked around the house in his normal pace. He wasn't too scared to create a racket because that blonde will still be unaffected. He didn't, however, switch on any lights in their bedroom. He got dressed in casual clothes, deciding to change into formal wear at the house back in NYC.

He carried his files and laptop outside before placing them in his car. Going back inside again, he went straight to the master bedroom.

He watched Stella sleep peacefully. Slipping in beside her, he gazed at her through the shadows. Maybe it was just his thing, but he absolutely _loved_ watching her sleep. He never watched anyone sleep before. _Not even Skylar._

He smiled to himself. She certainly is something else. His heart rocked with tranquility, only to detach a few minutes later when he realized that he was getting late. But he couldn't help himself. He relaxed for a few more minutes, quietly watching her and placing little kisses here and there without waking her up.

He checked the time and sighed, realizing that he should get _really_ going if he wanted to make it to his office by the first ray of sunlight. "Sweet dreams, beautiful," he whispered before pressing his lips on her forehead, lingering there for a few seconds. "Have a good day and be safe," he wished her warmly before hugging her once. With a dejected sigh, he removed himself from her before standing up.

He didn't want to leave her. Every time he left her, something bad always afflicted their relationship, leaving him to wonder if they were stuck in some recurring, jinxed loopholes. _What? No,_ he shook his head, surprised at his own stupidity. He was never one to believe in mumbo jumbo nonsense. The past month had been, _dare he say it,_ nothing short of what people may refer to as the 'seventh heaven'. He felt lucky to have such a relationship with Stella. She made him happy and he loved her with every fiber of his being. Those events last month were just unfortunate coincidences.

He took his phone, wallet, and keys before moving out of the bedroom. He closed the door before leaving the house. Making sure he locked the front door, he hopped into his car and pulled out of the driveway, disappearing into the night a few seconds afterwards.

* * *

 **~ 6:50 AM ~**

The house felt empty and deprived by the time Stella woke up. It was eerily silent, which means that Brandon probably left a long time ago. She usually relied on him to wake her up. He was almost always up way before her and she never felt the need to set an alarm for herself. Why use an inanimate object when you have 6'2'' hunk to rely on? But...that hunk is not here today and probably won't return till the return, which means...she was already looking forward to evening.

Stella turned the alarm off and tossed the phone beside her. She rolled around the bed lazily, dumbly looking around with her incoherent, sleepy eyes. Her eyes snapped to the phone beside her in pure irritation when it suddenly started ringing. Does anyone else hate any type of noise pollution in the mornings too?

She knew right away who it was but still. The noise irritated her. "Hello?" she sleepily answered.

"Hey, you up?" Brandon smiled.

"Brand...?" she whispered woozily, just about ready to head back to sleep any second. "Where are you?"

"At the house," he answered. "Getting changed."

"Ohh. Well...when are you going to come back here?" Stella demanded with as much authority as she could in such a hazy state. She sat up slowly and yawned before dragging herself out of bed.

"You are _such_ a clingy girlfriend," he chuckled from the other end.

"You mean wife," she corrected him with a strict tone.

"See what I mean?" he shook his head with amusement. Technically, they were married, but since it wasn't exactly under amiable conditions, they occasionally referred to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. "Well, wake up and get on with your day. I'll see you in the evening," he said while picking out a formal outfit from his closet.

"Bye," she sighed before hanging up the phone. Ugh. Today felt like it'll be _such_ a long day.

 _She never knew how correct she actually is._

* * *

 **~ Campus Quad - Princeton University - 9:30 AM ~**

"Honestly, girls, I think we should all go on a road trip or something after graduation," Bloom suggested dreamily.

"Like where?" Stella asked in interest. It would be nice to get away from everything.

"I don't know. Just drive to a random destination, spend a week or two there, and drive back," Bloom said.

Tecna shrugged. "Just us three?"

"Well, we can get the guys and everyone else," the redhead shrugged.

"Won't Flora be entering her ninth month then? Graduation is still two months away," Stella pointed out in concern.

"Oooh, delivery in a car! That's hot!" Bloom gushed.

"And uncomfortable!" Tecna narrowed her eyes not so appreciatively at the unwanted suggestion. Bloom shot her a small glare for interrupting her fantasy.

Stella laughed at their bickering before they were interrupted by her phone ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket.

"Who is it? Brandon?" Bloom gave her a wolfish grin.

The blonde shook her head. She had a separate ringtone for him. "No, it's an unknown number from...LA," Stella frowned at the location being displayed underneath the phone number.

 _LA?_ she thought in confusion. She didn't know anyone in LA. All the people she knew were saved in her phone.

Stella slowly cut the call and put the phone back in her pocket.

Bloom and Tecna stared at each other before eyeing Stella. "Um...Stell, why did you cut it off?" Bloom asked curiously.

"It was probably a wrong number," Stella said absentmindedly. _Why LA?_ It's probably some insurance company, advertising their sales. _Yeah, that's it,_ she comforted herself.

The two girls frowned. They weren't satisfied with the response. How would you know if it's a wrong number until you've answered it? The blonde looked slightly upset and disturbed, to say the least. But nonetheless, they didn't comment on it anymore.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House, New Jersey - 4:00 PM ~**

"Hey," Stella smiled into the phone.

"Back home?" Brandon asked.

"Yup. What about you? Where are you?" Stella jumped eagerly on the couch in the living room.

"Stel...you're turning into one of those nagging girlfriends," Brandon chuckled, but couldn't help but be amused.

"What?!" the blonde huffed. "Well, excuse me! Sorry for wanting to see you!"

Brandon shook his head and listened.

"...Am I really nagging?" she asked a moment later, making him laugh.

"I promised I'll be home tonight. So I will. Don't wait up for me in case I'm late," he smiled into the phone.

"...Can I?" she asked shyly. "I really want to see you," she whispered softly, nuzzling herself into the couch.

His heart melted at her tone. "I'll be home soon," he said.

"...Really? You're not just saying that?"

"We'll go out for dinner," he said after much thought. "Pick a restaurant."

"Got it!" she squealed into the phone, barely able to suppress her excitement, making him smile.

They hung up after a few minutes.

Brandon twirled left and right slowly in the revolving chair in his office, quietly thinking about her. Her smile touched his heart. The sound of her laughter echoed in his ears over and over again until his heart ached for her.

He shook his head, deciding to focus on the work at hand. The longer he takes to finish, the longer he'll need to wait to see her.

His phone pinged, cutting in his thoughts. He didn't need to look to see that it was Stella.

 _What are you doing :)))) ?_

He rubbed his forehead at her message.

 _What am I going to do with you?_ he shook his head in mirth before ignoring her message and carrying on with his evening.

* * *

 **~ 4:20 PM ~**

Stella stood in front of her closet, wondering what to wear for tonight. Her heart swarmed with excitement. A girlish grin spread onto her blushed cheeks at the mere thought of him. Despite living with him 24/7, she _still_ didn't get over her blushing bride act. _She's such a lovesick fool._ Sue her, she was just excited. Taking the sweet time to get dressed, putting on makeup, styling her hair... _how long has it been since she indulged herself in such fantasies?_

 _Too long._

Stella giggled stupidly to herself as she eyed and dismissed an array of dresses and outfits, not satisfied with them at all. Wait. Is the dinner casual or high-end? Hmm...

The blonde took out her phone and shot him a quick message, ridiculously oblivious to his increasing irritation coupled with bemusement.

 _What should I wear? Where are we going?_

Her phone pinged again almost immediately. She opened his text excitedly.

 _Wear something that I can easily take off you ;)_

Her eyes widened as her jaw fell open at his crude reply. _"Jerk,"_ she blushed heavily as her cheeks turned desperately red. At the same time, he chuckled to himself. He could imagine the blush that probably blossomed on her cheeks now. But it's not his fault he can't have enough of her.

She was about to reply when she was interrupted when the doorbell rang once. Puzzled, she cruised to the living room before opening the front door.

It revealed a _very_ official person, probably in mid-forties, with a pleasant smile. Her eyes narrowed in confusion at the official-looking man. He was dressed in a grey suit and held a black briefcase in his hand.

"Mrs. Stella Shields," he greeted politely.

"Hi...?" Stella blinked quizzically.

He laughed. "My name's Benjamin Hall, but you can call me Ben. I'm a lawyer," he introduced himself before taking out a business card with name and information. " _Your parents' lawyer,_ to be exact," he stated, eliciting a small, surprised gasp from her.

Stella's eyes widened as she slowly took the card. _What...?_ she unconsciously gulped. The mention of her parents sent a frightening chill through her body that her legs started to shake slightly, making it harder for her to stand up. She felt terrified all the way till her core. Ever since her parents' deaths, she had been constantly receiving haunting reminders of their horrific accident. They left handwritten letters with Brandon to bring her 'closure' and while that's sweet, yet heartbreaking at the same time, they never realized how much the letters impacted her.

 _Oh god, what now?!_ Stella thought in panic while clenching her shaking hands into tight fists. She bit her lip. She honestly didn't want to know what or why Ben was here. Why did he come now? Honestly, what more is left of her parents? _More letters...?_ Stella thought in panic and fear as the familiar pit of anxiety seeped its way into her heart uninvited. But Brandon told her that he didn't have any more letters from her parents. _So...what now then?_ Stella bit her lip as she thought.

"I've been trying to reach you all day," Ben said.

"That was you?!" she blurted out before covering her mouth in shock.

"I couldn't reach you, so I asked Heather Shields, your husband's mother. I hope you don't mind," he stated quickly.

She nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Is it alright if I come in?" he asked tentatively.

Stella blinked. "I'm sorry. Please, do come in," she said, stepping inside the house to let him in. He sent her a fatherly smile before entering the home. The blonde led them to seating in the living room. Soon, they sat opposite each other with a decorative zen table in front of them.

Ben cleared his throat to get her attention, not quite realizing he already had it. "Mrs. Shields—"

"Please just call me Stella," the blonde quickly corrected.

Ben nodded. "My apologies. So, I'll get right to the point," he took a deep breath. "I'm a lawyer and I worked with your parents for years," he stated glumly. "They were good friends," he said. Stella took a deep breath, trying not to be upset. Ever since they died, she didn't let anyone near her, not even her relatives. The only people she let in were her friends, Brandon, and his parents. _Mostly Brandon though,_ she thought. She spent two months at the house crying endlessly and he had been the only one to comfort her. Despite getting married against his wishes, he never held it against her.

Ben's voice turned her back to reality. "Stella, before your parents passed away, they left you a will," he said with seriousness in his eyes.

"W-What?!" Stella's eyes widened as she stuttered. _They had time to do that?!_ Tears sprung to her eyes instantly. Why was everyone keeping so secrets from her?! First, they give her heartbreaking and torturing letters and now this?! How much more should she take—

"It was written and sighed on their last Christmas," Ben interrupted her line of thought and stated firmly.

Stella's eyes widened. _Their last Christmas?_ she thought in confusion. She remembered that they threw a huge party on the Christmas before they died. But why would they write a will all of a sudden?

As if reading her mind, Ben smiled lightly and answered her question. "It was to be enforced after you completed your education at Princeton."

Stella blinked, understanding slowly dawning on her. _Of course._ The Christmas party they threw was not only to celebrate the wintry festival, but it was also the exact time when she received her letter of acceptance to Princeton.

"You'll graduate in two more months, dear," Ben told her. "After that, all of the properties on your parents' names will be transferred to you officially. You're also entitled to become the new CEO of Radar Industries."

"W-What?! Are you serious?!" Stella nearly screamed in shock. Radar Industries was prestigious and sacred to her, especially since her parents' deaths. While they were alive, they poured their blood into it and brought it to a reputed position. And now, she's expected to take over. Stella felt stumped in her chair, completely shell-shocked and still. There was absolutely no way she'll ever be able to run the company without feeling like a wreck.

"The company is currently being led by the board of directors, advisers, and vice president, who is also temporarily CEO and also none other than my own son. In a few months, you'll be expected to take on the reigns. Here, let me show you." Ben took the black briefcase from the side and put it up on the table. Opening it, he took out a few bundles of papers and set them neatly on the table.

Stella blinked in shock when she, indeed, saw an official looking papers with seals. She has never seen a will before but she instantly recognized it as it innocently rested on the top of the stack. Ben took it out and handed it to Stella's shaking fingers. The blonde's amber eyes clouded over with mist as she read over the will briefly. Everything that had been on her parents' name...every single property, including the company, which was the result of their lifelong hard-work, was ordered to sign over to her name as soon as she finished her education at Princeton.

 _In a few months..._

This will rightfully belong to her and make her the sole heiress to the empire her parents worked hard for all their lives.

Tears threatened to fall down her face when she saw her parents' signatures along with the signatures of other witnesses.

 _They really did that? For her?_

"I'm sorry if this is all too sudden for you," Ben said sympathetically while placing a palm on top of hers.

Stella looked up with teary eyes. "No...it's just..." she trailed off softly while looking down on the papers. "It's just...unexpected."

"Take your time, sweetheart. There's no need to rush this. The company will always be yours and it will be maintained and run smoothly until you take on over."

Stella nodded mutely before blinking back more tears. She looked up, barely able to keep up a straight face. "I need some time, Ben. Please." She handed the papers back to him and wiped away the crystal tears lingering near the brim of her eyelashes.

Ben nodded with understanding. "Of course." He placed the papers back in the briefcase. "When you're ready with an answer, here's my card." He gave her a visiting card with his name and number. Stella nodded silently and took it.

"I'll take your leave now," he informed her while standing up.

"Already? You can stay for dinner," Stella told him with a strained smile. But in truth, she really wanted to be alone right now.

"Thank you for the offer," he smiled. "But I feel it's best to leave. I'll be waiting for your call."

Stella nodded and stood up along with him. He gave her a small hug before grabbing his suitcase and turning on his heel. She felt her heart hollow out as she watched him leave. She blinked back more tears and fell in her seat. She sat there for a few hard minutes, her mind blank and her body limp of any stimuli. Staring ahead into nothing in particular, she pondered over what just happened over the past twenty minutes.

She drew her knees till her chest before burying her head in between them. Slowly, her eyes turned runny as she let out tears of anguish, grief, and heartbreak. _Why can't they just leave me alone?_ she cried.

* * *

 ** _A few hours later..._**

 **~ 7:30 PM ~**

A smile touched his lips as Brandon pulled up into the driveway. He could just imagine her face lighting up like a thousand fireflies. He parked the car and turned off the ignition. The car hummed softly before quietly down.

A second later, he noticed that Stella's car wasn't here. _Maybe she'll be back soon..._ he sighed to himself before stepping out of the car with his things. Making his way in, he set his laptop and other bundles of files in the living room before looking around.

"Hmm. Where did she go?" he muttered out loud. "Stell?!" he called out, but it was pointless. Her car wasn't here.

He checked the time with a frown. He didn't particularly like not knowing her whereabouts since she had a fantastic ability to get into trouble all the time. He dialed her number and set it on speaker before roaming around the house, wondering if she put up a note on the fridge or nightstands or wherever else. The phone continued to ring, but didn't show any signs of Stella picking it up. He quickly shot her a text.

 _Where are you?_

He stood there, waiting for her reply. "She better reply if she knows what's good for her," he muttered with an impatient huff before letting out a sigh, wondering where she could've gone at this time.

 _The girls, maybe?_ Brandon thought in slight relief. Maybe they were meeting up or having fun and she probably tossed her phone aside? It's kind of unlikely since both of them planned to go out. But nonetheless, it was worth a shot. He dialed Bloom's number.

The phone rang a few times before the redhead perked up. "Hey, Brandon! What's up?"

"Bloom, is Stella with you?" he asked casually.

"No, she went home hours ago. Why? Is something wrong?" Bloom asked in concern.

"No, no, I just came home and was wondering where she went. Thanks," he smiled.

"No prob!" Bloom nodded before they hung up the phone.

"Dammit, Stell, where are you?" he sighed restlessly. Part of the reason why he felt so antsy was because he really wanted to see her. "She demands I get home but she's nowhere in sight," he scowled, checking his contacts to see where else she could've gone to.

A few minutes later, the brunette made another call.

"Brandyyyy!" Jay answered almost immediately. "'Sup, dude?!"

Brandon scowled at the ugly nickname Jay had for him, but didn't comment. "Did you see Stella today?"

"She isn't with you? Didn't you call her?" Jay asked in confusion.

Brandon raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? When did I call her?" The last contact he had with her was hours ago.

"Like an hour ago? She came here earlier for god-knows-what. She literally left like two minutes later because you called," Jay frowned.

"Jay, Stella isn't here and the last I talked to her was four hours ago," Brandon said in worry.

They both went silent. Neither of their stories tallied with the other, which means that there is a reason for worry.

"I'll call you back," Brandon said with worry.

"I'll try on my end," Jay nodded. "Let me know how it goes!"

Brandon hung up before going up to the front door to put his shoes on again. He didn't even change from his formal clothes earlier because he was in _such_ a hurry to see her and she isn't even home!

Grabbing his keys, he stood at the front door, ready to leave in case anything happens.

* * *

 _ **Two hours later...**_

 **~ 9:45 PM ~**

Brandon sat in the living room with his head into his hands. His heart twisted and sunk with nerves as he sat there worried out of his mind. He felt suffocated and sweat glistened on his forehead. He felt hot from within as he clutched his phone tightly not knowing when it will ping.

He let out a sharp gasp when he heard a car pulling up into driveway. "Stella?!" he stood up sharply before letting out a _HUGE_ sigh of relief. In seconds, his face transformed to that of anger. _Raw, pure_ _anger._ His eyes gleamed red as he impatiently waited for her to get in. He crossed his arms as anger consumed his body, ready to be unleashed on the very woman he loved the most.

The door opened and the blonde grudgingly walked into the house without a single care. She clearly _knew_ he's standing in front of her. He glared at her audacity to just ignore him.

Brandon stood up angrily. " _Where_ did you go?!" he fired.

Stella sighed as she locked the door behind her. _And here it is._ She somehow had a feeling he'll be pissed off. The million calls and texts he sent her way pretty much gave it away that he was waiting for her at home, not knowing where else to go. "Out," she answered simply.

"Where?" he demanded, crossing his arms and impatiently tapping his foot for an answer.

Stella raised an eyebrow. "I don't have to tell you, Brandon," she said, slightly raising her tone. She brushed past him, which only made him angrier. Grabbed her wrist, he flung her back in front of him. She let out a surprised yelp as she nearly fell at his strength, if not for his quick save.

"Let me go! What are you doing?!" she yelled angrily.

"Where. Did. You. Go?!" he asked as calmly as he could but one could tell that he was losing it.

"You're hurting me, stop!" she winced at his grip, making his eyes momentarily soften. He loosened the grip slightly but not enough to let her free. "And _why_ should I tell you?!" Stella snapped. "Why? Don't you trust me?!"

Brandon glared at her. See, that's _ALL_ she knew. Of course, that's the _only_ thing that will pop into her mind. "Stella, this isn't about trust!" he death glared at her incredible naivety. "This is about YOU not answering my calls for two solid hours and lying about your whereabouts! Excuse me if I was worried!" he shouted, raising his tone with each word.

"Well, there's no need to be," Stella hissed back. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. Now leave me alone. I will go out whenever I want and wherever I want. You have no right to say no to that," she growled.

He threw up his hands in incredulity. "Are you insane?!" he yelled at her recklessness.

"I said _I'm fine_ ," she hissed. "You're SUCH a hypocrite! Where were you when I called you?! You're freaking out over hours and I freaked out over you for _WEEKS!"_ she yelled angrily.

He fell speechless for a second. "...That wasn't intentional," he said with hurt. "And...at least I talked to you once a day. Is that what this is? Payback? Is that why you're ignoring me on purpose?"

She took a deep breath. "Brandon, you can't dictate me around, okay?!" she fired back. "Why can't you just trust me?!"

"Stella, I'm not dictating your life and I do trust you, but—"

"Then why are you so paranoid?! Why can't you be someone like—"

"Because I'm not! I'm not like other men!" he yelled, silencing her at once. She opened her mouth to retaliate but clamped it shut when his eyes...they turned... _threatening_. She had seen this look before. It's the same look he has when he's upset about something and your comment just made it a whole lot worse.

"Just a few hours ago, you were _BEGGING_ for me to get home and I don't have the right to do the same thing? Or is it only you who gets be desperate?" he hissed angrily.

A short gasp escaped from her. _D-Desperate...?_ her voice died in her throat. She stared at him with wide eyes. _Did he just say that...?_ she trembled as tears formed in her eyes. Her lips quivered, unable to believe that he actually said that to her.

"We live together, got that?! It means you _DON'T_ have a right to disappear!" he yelled. "I'm warning you. If you're going to be with me, you _WILL_ tell me where you run off to at this time of night, whether you like it or not. Do you understand that?!" he shouted. "DO YOU!?" he said, shaking her shoulders.

"Yes, I'm fucking paranoid," he growled. "And that's because I give a shit about you! If you don't want to tell me, then don't stay with me. Break up with me before you pull another stunt like this one," he spat angrily before pushing past her and storming out of the house. She winced when the front door slammed shut, sending chills down her spine.

Tears welled up in her eyes at his words. He actually suggested that they break up. Her mouth went dry. Any comebacks or retorts she had saved up were left forgotten as hot tears stained her cheeks. Her feet gave away as she slumped to the floor in tears.

Meanwhile, Brandon angrily shut the doors to the car before slamming the steering wheel in fury. He glared at her attitude. She should have it within her to maintain their relationship. She should at least _TRY_ to understand that there is a person waiting for her at home. If she was going to be late, she could just tell him that. He never tied her hands and feet and demanded that she remained encased within four walls. This was _all_ she knew. Cry and make _him_ look like the bad guy. _What else is new?_ he glared darkly, harshly pulling out of the driveway. He had no intention to apologize. Let her cry. Let her be _hurt_ because frankly, he was too. He was tired and _sick_ of _constantly_ apologizing to her.

* * *

 ** _An hour later..._**

 **~ 10:50 PM ~**

Brandon stood at the door and stared at the blonde, who is unconventionally sit-sleeping on the floor. He sighed with disappointment before going to her and bending to her level. He stared at her face with zero emotions in his eyes. On any other day, he wouldn't have been able to stop looking. He would've kissed her forehead or her cheek about ten times by now, but tonight...he didn't. Tonight, he was angry. And _she_ does not get to sleep. She does _not_ get to sleep when they're at loggerheads with each other.

Stella stirred when she felt a cool contact tap her cheek repeatedly. "Get up," a cold voice ordered. "Stella," Brandon's hard voice glared at her. Stella gasped before her eyes flew open at his voice. She impulsively crawled back till her back molded against the couch. She touched her heart to calm down from the startle.

She stared at him with tears misting in her eyes at his words.

"What's wrong with you, Stella?" he sighed.

She instinctively stood up. She couldn't talk to him without feeling like a burden because that's literally what he said. He followed suit as well and grabbed her wrist tightly before she made a pass at him to run away again.

"Let me go," she sniffled. "I'm fine." She tried to wiggle her wrist free but he just wouldn't let go! She was still mad at what he said earlier. He can't just say such things and expect her to forget them!

"No. You're not," he said calmly. "Tell me what happened."

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?! Leave me alone!" she suddenly shouted while pushing him back, making him let her go at once in surprise and falling back onto the couch. He stared at her in disbelief _and...hurt_ while she covered her mouth with a gasp. With teary eyes, she immediately ran to a dark corner of the bedroom and slumped to the floor. Burying her head into her knees, she cried. Maybe there was something with her. Maybe she is a freak. Maybe she is desperate and a burden.

He stared after her in shock. Her muffled cries could be heard from all the way over here. He picked himself up, still in disbelief that she just...pushed him off. It hurt. Correction: it _stung._ Like _HELL._

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he somehow made his way to the doorway. His arms itched to hug her, to comfort her, but instead...he was forced to wait outside the room like she's foreign to him. He swallowed, "So...let me get this straight...I'm supposed to ignore you crying in front of me. I'm not supposed to care about you anymore. Um...did I get that right? Okay. Cool." He turned away as a thin film of tears coated his eyes. _Okay. I will,_ he tried not to cry before moving away from the door.

* * *

He closed his eyes as he stood underneath the cold water without flinching.

In the last few hours, he did everything he could to keep his mind off from his argument with Stella earlier. It wasn't just stress clawing away at his body; it was her harsh tone with him, her secluded nature, and her insistence for him to get lost.

Anger blazed in his eyes. _Well, she isn't the only one who knows how to get angry,_ he glared. He let out a frustrated exhale before turning the shower off, finding no use for it anymore. This wasn't the type of anger that a cold shower can fix.

* * *

 **~ 11:30 PM ~**

Brandon stood outside her door and watched her seated in the same place she was in the last time he saw her. He swallowed his anger and hurt before speaking casually. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

She earnestly looked up at him with wide eyes. But to her dismay, he wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were averting from her and that...stung. "...No," she said in a painful voice.

His eyes threatened to glance at her when he heard her choked voice. _Don't. She doesn't need you. She doesn't want you. She's fine. She doesn't need your help,_ he preached to himself. "Okay. Have it whenever you want. I'll set it in the fridge,"

With that, he turned away from the doorway before going straight to the kitchen. He took the quick dinner he made before going to the fridge. He stopped suddenly at the magnets that adorned the fridge. They contained pictures of the two. Seeing them, his eyes glazed over at how happy they were just hours ago. Brandon slowly raised his hand to touch the magnet but dropped it a few seconds.

His eyes darted towards the kitchen entrance, hoping that she's maybe just outside, waiting for him. He wasn't the one who told her to leave. It was her. She told him that she didn't need him anymore. At least, that's when she led him on to believe.

 _"Fine,"_ he thought bitterly to himself. If she's not going to come to him, then so be it.

Without another word, he shoved the food inside.

* * *

 **~ 11:55 PM ~**

Stella rocked herself, trying not to cry so much. She had a burning headache. Today was _not_ supposed to be like this. She was supposed to doll herself up, put on makeup, and be ready by the time he returns home, so they can go out like they initially planned out to.

She picked herself up from the floor before going to find him. Her vision grew hazy as she remembered his last words to her.

 _"I'm supposed to ignore you crying in front of me. I'm not supposed to care about you anymore...did I get that right?"_

 _No...you didn't,_ she cried to herself before deciding she has had enough of this hell. It was her fault. She was the one who ignored him. She ignored his calls, his texts, and his constant pleas to just let him know that she's okay.

But...she hadn't. And it wasn't anything against him. She didn't want him to know how broken she was at that moment. She didn't want him to hear the sadness in her voice because being the expert reader that he is, he'll definitely pick it up. She recalled her call and chat history grudgingly. If she had just taken the time to maybe shoot him a small message, he wouldn't be so stressed. She knew from the very beginning that he didn't like her going out alone once it's dark outside. But...he never imposed restrictions on her like she accused him of.

"I'm sorry," she inaudibly whispered while crying into her hands.

* * *

 ** _1 missed call_**

 ** _7:32 PM -_** _Where are you?_

 _ **7:37 PM -**_ _Stell, is everything okay? Jay told me you left. Are you coming home?_

 ** _2 missed calls_**

 ** _7:40 PM -_** _Yooooo!_

 ** _8:01 PM -_** _Stell, please. It's not funny anymore. Answer your phone!_

 ** _4 missed calls_**

 ** _8:08 PM -_** _Are you okay? Just tell me you're okay. Please._

 ** _8:09 PM -_** _Are you getting my messages?_

 ** _8:10 PM -_** _Did someone steal my girl's phone!? At least tell me where you stole it frommmmm!_

 ** _7 missed calls_**

 ** _8:25 PM -_ **_I have half a mind to call the police. CALL. ME. NOW!_

 ** _8:30 PM -_** _..._

 ** _8 missed calls_**

 ** _8:47 PM -_** _Sunshine...please answer._

 ** _8:52 PM -_** _Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong? :(_

 ** _8:53 PM -_** _I'm sorry if I hurt you. Please. Just come home. I'm worried :(_

 ** _8:55 PM_** _\- Please? :)_

 ** _9:01 PM -_** _I love you :) :) :) :) :)_

 ** _12 missed calls_**

 ** _9:16 PM -_** _Sunshineeeee! Princesssss! Baabbbyyy! I loveeee you! But if you don't answer your damn phone or text me back, I'll legit call the police._

 ** _9:21 PM -_** _STELLA, ANSWER YOUR GODDAMN PHONE!_

 ** _16 missed calls_**

* * *

With guilt pricking her eyes, she instantly dashed out. She looked around the living room, wondering where he is. She went and checked the kitchen. _Nope. Not here._

She rushed back towards the other bedroom and stopped at seeing him tapping something harshly on his laptop. He looked extremely irritated and testy. On another note, he was also shirtless. She saw that his hair was drying from the shower he took a while ago.

Seeing her enter the room, Brandon lifted his head up and his face instantly forged itself to anger. He stood up instantly and closed his laptop shut. She winced at the hateful he gave her before grabbing the shirt beside him and immediately slipping it over his head.

He took his things and approached the door where she stood as a barricade.

"B-Brandon," she started shakily, slowly reaching for him.

He jumped almost a foot back repulsively. "Don't touch me. Chances are I'll hurt you and I probably wouldn't care right now," he said angrily. "Leave me the hell alone if you know what's good for you."

"W-Wait—" she sniffled.

"I'm busy. Move," he said coldly before pushing her aside and brushing past her.

She followed him into the living room. He flopped down angrily on one of the sofas before seating himself to one side of the furniture. He opened his laptop and stared at it in frustration, nearly boring holes into that thing. From his periphery, he saw her sitting beside him.

She stared at him with teary eyes. "Brandon...I'm sorry."

He turned away from her as angry tears spurred in his eyes. He drew a finger on his water line to prevent any from cascading down.

"I really am so sorry," she cried.

"Okay," he nodded without sparing her a glance even though his heart ached at the sound of her tears. He tapped something in his laptop, pretending to be busy.

Seeing him so uncaring, her heart broke. "Please! I really am!"

"Okay! What else do you want me to say?!" he suddenly shouted fiercely, finally turning to her and making her jump back in alarm, wide-eyed.

"...Nothing," she bit her lip as she took a step back. Without another word, she left the room as her face stained with hot, heartbroken waterfalls.

* * *

 **~ 12:45 AM ~**

He couldn't sleep. He didn't even show the slightest amounts of sleepiness. He wanted to talk to her. _So badly._

Brandon let out a few tears. He must've hurt her so much with his words. He never wanted to control her. All he had for her is pure, untainted love. He just wanted her to be safe. She...she's still a child at heart. He could've just chided her for not picking up his calls. But...calling her _desperate?_ His anger faded as his heartache doubled. "I'm sorry," he inaudibly whispered.

What were they doing? They live together. They love each other. Why do they have to fight at _this_ scale? At _this_ magnitude? He missed her. He didn't care anymore. Why does it matter who apologizes first? They weren't some rivals or enemies. They're lovers.

 _But..._

He was angry and upset too. He can tolerate _anything_ but he can't handle baseless accusations. It killed him to know that she thought his love was... _perverted._ She thought he was controlling and dominating.

Is worrying about her safety controlling?

Telling her to call him just to make sure she's okay is dominating?

 _OHHH._

 _He didn't know that._

* * *

Time ticked. Each second felt like a desolate eternity. The house suffered with silence and tension, thick enough to cut through with a knife.

The duo both didn't step out of the bedrooms they're in or make a single peep. Any single sound instantly caused their heads to turn and think about the other, assuming they weren't already.

They gradually retired themselves to a separate bed and a separate bedroom.

Each closed their eyes, hoping that this is just an unwanted nightmare. But sadly...it wasn't the case.

The house was awfully silent and probably _will be_ till morning.

...or _so they thought._

* * *

 _"M-Mom..." Stella's voice cracked. "Please don't leave me. P-Please wake up," she cried, holding her mother's hand desperately.  
_

 _"S-Stella...," the weak voice of her father called for her attention again. Desperate to save him at any cost, Stella gripped his hand for dear life. "L-Live your life, s-sweetie," he choked out before the light of his eyes died and his body grew limp._

 _She broke down immediately and crashed to the floor. "No," she cried. "P-Please!" she sobbed helplessly._

 _"Ms. Solaria...?" a lady doctor tapped her shoulder. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I thought maybe you'd like to know that the other driver in the next room. He's...he's doesn't have much time either."_

 _Stella's eyes brimmed red as tears fell angrily. It was because of him. All because of HIM! She picked herself off the floor before angrily flying out of the room. She'll watch him die. She needed to know the killer of her parents. This wasn't an accident. This was murder!_

 _She barged straight into the room and glared at the people around him. She pushed past them rudely before getting ready to spit out hate before her voice died in her throat when she saw the person laying pitifully in a cluster of bandages and tubes._

 _"...B-Brandon...?" she choked out with wide, heartbreaking eyes._

 _"S-Sun..." he started to croak before his chest jerked with one last gasp, letting his body fall still._

* * *

 **~ 3:03 AM ~**

" _NOOOOO!_ " Stella shouted as she instantly got up. She started to pant in fear. "No, no, no," she hyperventilated crazily.

Meanwhile, from the other room, Brandon's eyes flashed open when he heard a frightening scream that jolted him awake, nearly shattering his heart into pieces in the process. He instantly sat up in a flash and threw the covers away, not caring how they dangled off the bed before finally falling on the floor. He just didn't care.

The cold shoulder he'd been giving her all night was forgotten as he rushed towards the master bedroom.

He threw the door open and stopped immediately when he saw Stella sweating like crazy and heaving for air. Her eyes looked bloodshot as she stared straight ahead. Her face was full of confusion and fear as she looked around the room frantically, wondering where she is.

 _What the hell?!_ Concerned, he instantly rushed to her and sat next to her, taking her in his arms. That was all it took for her to go berserk on him. She let out a surprised cry and whimpered crazily before tugging at his arms, pleading for him to let her go. He stared at her in astonishment when she started to hit him square in the chest, leaving him to wince. She's pretty stronger than she looks. "Let me go!" she cried, thrashing violently in his arms. He frowned sadly at her, wondering what happened and why she was so adamant on pushing him away. It killed him to see her like this even though she'll never understand that.

"Stell—" he tried to control her but in vain.

"No! Stop!" she begged insanely.

With narrowed eyes, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled on her with a firm tug before gathering her tightly against him. He glared at her miserable attempts and refused to let her go, keeping a tight lock firmly around her back and waist. She let out an anguished cry as her tears didn't show signs of slowing down. "Sunshine...please," he pleaded, hovering his lips near her ear. She was shaking but he didn't let her budge. "I won't..." he took a deep breath, barely being able to keep the pain out of his tone. "I won't hurt you," he whispered softly, letting her hear his voice. "Snap out of it, princess," he said, holding her close. He stroked her hair softly before sighing in relief when she started to calm down.

"It was just a bad dream," he softly told her, rubbing her back up and down. "You're okay. You're safe."

Wondering what triggered the panic attack, he looked around the room. _What happened?_ he thought to himself with a sad sigh.

He slowly pulled back from her a few minutes afterwards and saw that her eyes were staring ahead into his chest for no particular reason. They were deprived of life. She seemed to be in a trance that scared him. He had seen those looks before. This was emotional devastation. _The same eyes she had when her parents died._ He blinked. _Is it something related to them?_ he thought. What could make her cry _so_ much that she had to run off somewhere and wake up with nightmares? He frowned deeply. The last time he had seen her with nightmares was when her parents had died. And from his experience, Stella's nightmares were extremely intense.

"Stel," he said.

She didn't respond.

 _"Stella,"_ he said, tapping her cheek.

"STELLA!" he shouted, shaking her shoulders firmly that made her gasp loudly. She eyed with wide orbs before blinking rapidly. Her emotionless eyes soon shifted to those of grief. "Brandon?" she cried in disbelief before raising her hands to touch him before pulling back. It's like she's afraid to touch him in case he'll disappear soon afterwards.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently in concern, moving to hold her shoulders.

She gasped at his firm hold. He wasn't a figment. He was real! He was actually _here_ with her! "You're here. You're okay," she sniffled, wasting no time to touch his face.

"Of course I'm okay," he said in confusion as she stared at him wide-eyed like he was some piece of lost treasure.

He grunted and fell back when Stella pounced on him, sending them toppling to the floor. "What the—!" he yelped in surprise when his back hit the floor harshly. He winced when she fell on top of him. "Wait—!"

"You're okay!" she sobbed. "You're...you're okay!" she cried sorrowfully. "You're real!"

"Um..." he blinked as she cried. Of course he's real.

She pulled back and stared at him in wonder. "This isn't a dream, right?!" she asked in fear. "You're really here, right?"

"Uhh...are you okay in the head?" he blinked, tapping her temple.

"I love you," she sobbed. "I love you so much."

"...I love you too," he said in concern. "But...we seriously need to get off the floor."

He didn't give her any time to respond, mostly because he figured she didn't care. He flipped them both, so that he was on top of her. He stood up before holding her by the shoulders to lift her up.

He took a good look at her. With marks of dried, salty tears that were covered by new tears, crumpled clothes, and hair that resembled nothing less than a bird's nest, she looked absolutely pitiful. He gently cupped her face before using his thumbs to wipe away the sad tears underneath her eyelids. She sniffled when he drew her closer to him. "You're a mess," he softly chided her, speaking against her hair.

Her muffled cries brought back today's events. His body suddenly stiffened at her constant insistence to stay away from him throughout the day. "Oh...sorry, I forgot," he said, making her look up at him in sheer confusion. He sighed before suddenly letting her go. "Have a glass of water. And...um...and try to get some sleep."

Stella's eyes widened when he abruptly stepped away from her. "Good night," he quietly said.

It was only when he headed towards the door that she realized why he let her go. His eyes reflected pain while his gait showed just how dejected and upset he was. Her heart felt heavy as he slipped away from her.

Her feet automatically moved as she found herself run towards him. Brandon grunted and stumbled a step forward when he felt her crash to his back.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed against his back. "I didn't mean any of those things," she sniffled, pleading for him to believe her.

He didn't say anything for a long moment.

He turned his head to the side and she was just thankful that he didn't push her away. "No...I'm the one who pressured you," he sighed. "You don't have to tell me anything, Stella. Just...just be careful when you go out. Okay?"

Her heart broke at how soft and concerned his voice was.

"W-Why?" she stuttered. "Why are you talking like that?"

He turned his head to the side with a deep sigh. "Why not?" he asked quietly in a soft voice. "You don't want me to be there for you and even after everything we've been through, a part of you _STILL_ treats me like a stranger."

He sighed, letting her process his words. "Sweet dreams, beautiful," he whispered before he took her arms off from his waist. He gave her the saddest smile she has ever seen in her life.

She sniffled when she saw him go to the other room. She didn't know what to do. She didn't mean to push him away. It wasn't intentional. She was upset for her own reasons, but not at him! She followed him to the other room and saw that he was getting ready for bed again. He saw her come in but didn't look so repulsive as before. "There's not enough space for both of us here. Sleep in the other room," he sighed.

She didn't heed to his so-called advice. Tears fell sparingly as she ran towards him, tripping on her way on the blankets he left on the floor before. She fell straight into his lap as he caught her with a low grunt. "When will you ever learn to walk?" he chuckled with a soft, yet sad smile as he picked her off before letting her sit beside him. He let go of her.

Even though he missed her like crazy, he didn't touch her again.

"Brand...?" she sniffled and he turned away at the occasional nickname she used for him. Her soft voice touched his heart, but...not enough to melt him. He's hurt too. He deserved the same comfort she craved. He's not in this unknown city for no reason. He's here for _her._ And to hear her tell him to move away...it hurt. It stung and ripped his heart apart.

She stood up at his silence. "Please talk to me," she begged.

"...There's nothing to talk about," he told her, averting his eyes away from her. "We—"

Stella's feet gave away as she fell to her knees, interrupting him. His eyes widened as he turned to her when she cried on her knees.

"Yell at me. Scold me. Say whatever you want," she cried. "You can...you can..." she searched for words to say. His eyes softened at the heartbreak on her face. And he instantly melted. He can never gaze at her face while being angry.

She sat on the floor and looked absolutely miserable. He got off the bed and sat on his knees in front of her. He held her face in his hands and frowned deeply at how wet his palm because with her tears. But...he still had a point to make. "Stell...you keep thinking that I was mad at you. What about me? I was hurt too and I _am_ hurt," he told her with a frown. "You have _NO_ idea how it feels to watch someone you love have cry their soul out."

"Of course I do—" she protested.

"No. You do _NOT_ ," he interrupted firmly. "Because I had to make sure you went to sleep _every_ damn day since your parents died in front of you. I had to make sure to keep you safe and healthy. I had to watch you cry, and I had to sit through your horrible nightmares. You don't know how that feels."

"You're not a victim just because you're the one stuck with crying," he told her firmly. "I had to watch you cry, wake up with nightmares, run off somewhere, and worst of all...I had to watch you act like you're alone through all of that."

"I screwed up, didn't I?" she whispered, her voice dying at his firm accusations. "Again."

"Yes. You did," he nodded. "You're the biggest headache I _ever_ had to deal with, you're an absolute moron sometimes, and you drive me crazy," he said. "But...you know what? You're fucking worth it," he told her, pulling her into his arms. "I love you, you stupid, crazy, dense idiot. Get that through your thick skull. I fucking love you." He hugged her, tightening his hold on her with each passing second. Her cries became muffled with his embrace, which, in her opinion, is the world's one and only safest place.

His voice fell into a soft tone. "Tell me what's wrong. Or at least...tell me that you're okay," he tenderly asked her. He rubbed her back and sighed inaudibly in relief when she started to calm down. She sniffled occasionally, every now and then. He always had her back. No matter what she said or how much he might be hurt, he always forgot everything for her sake. She knew she probably took him for granted sometimes but...she didn't mean to. She loved this amazing man with all of her heart and she always will. She closed her eyes when she felt him kiss the top of her head. See? It's little things like these that made her feel so lucky and blessed.

After hearing her breathe a little more normally, Brandon moved and lifted her chin to face him.

"What happened, Stel? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?" he asked in concern. He frowned at the drying, sticky tear stains. _How she always has the energy to cry this much, he'll never know._

His soft, caring voice made her sniffle and made her remember on how much she missed him. It felt like hell when he avoided her and just let her be on her own. She really is hopeless without him, isn't she? She probably wouldn't even have a life without him.

"I'm sorry," she said in a heartbroken voice.

He shook his head. "It's okay," he mustered a loving smile as best as he could and hid the sadness behind his eyes. "Tell me what's wrong," he urged.

Fresh tears brewed in her eyes. "T-T-T-This a-afternoon," she choked out before bursting into tears again.

His eyes softened at her pain. He pulled her closer as she cried sorrowfully into his chest. "It's okay. Take your time," he whispered as he held her close.

She hiccuped from crying so much. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face was sticky. She looked terrible. "You're such an adorable mess," he chuckled for some reason even though she was crying. What can he say? She still looked beautiful in his eyes.

About twenty minutes later, her madness subsided as she simply sat in his arms. She was exhausted and she felt horrible from within. He patted her hair and slowly threaded his fingers through her messy hair, which was slightly sweaty near her neck. He rubbed her back, tracing small circles with the bridge of his thumb while patiently waiting for her to start speaking at her own time.

The room suffered in silence for about ten minutes before she took a deep breath and finally opened her mouth to speak.

He listened quietly without interrupting as she stumbled on her words to get a coherent sentence out. Between a few hiccups, tears, sniffles, choked sobs, she was _finally_ able to tell him about the will her parents left her, leaving him to blink in shock when she was done. He honestly didn't know how to react and he didn't know what to say. His eyes softened at the heartbreak on her face. Sometimes...he could barely fathom the way she loved her parents. For her to grieve _all over again_ even after nearly two years...it's truly heartbreaking.

"...Ben Hall?" Brandon asked slowly.

Stella nodded. "Yeah. Do you know him?"

The brunette nodded. "He worked with your parents for years. My parents know him too. I've known him for about five years, which is the same time that I stepped up," he explained with a shrug.

The blonde nodded against his chest.

He sighed, not knowing what else to say. "Stell...Why wouldn't you tell me before though? Am I still that distant to you?" he asked in hurt.

"No. Of course not," she adamantly shook her head. "I felt...I felt stupid. They're dead. And they've been that way for almost two years. Why can't I accept that?"

"Am _I_ dead to you too?" he pressed, making her eyes widen.

She covered his mouth instantly with her hand. "Please don't say things like that," she said with her eyes wide. She looked afraid of such a possibility. She'll die if anything happens to him. The nightmare was horrible. She never thought she'd see him in _that_ state. How could she have possibly imagined that? Thinking back now, she can't remember how he looked in the nightmare with all the blood and bandages. And she was grateful for that. She can't live with recalling such visions. All she could remember was his hoarse voice. Even that felt horrible and like hell to her.

He gently removed her hand from his mouth. "Then don't avoid me, Stell," he softly said. "I'm alive and I'm well, so don't avoid me. You have _no_ idea what seeing you like this does to me." He continued. "Your parents left you a will. It's _not_ that big of a deal. It was bound to happen. You're their only daughter and one day will come where you'll have to manage or look over your family wealth. We're all growing up, Sunshine. We'll have responsibilities, you know," he explained. "...Radius and Luna are wonderful people. And they'll be heartbroken to know that their one and only daughter hasn't moved on with her life yet. Just like I am," he finished with a sad sigh.

"...Do you know why I always call you Sunshine?" he asked.

She nodded with a sniffle. "Because you like my smile?"

"No, because I _love_ your smile. In my world, that's the brightest thing I see. And...I feel like I haven't seen it in forever."

"What can I do?" she asked softly, dabbing at her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

He wiped away any stray tears left on her face. "What you have to do? Nothing. Be yourself. Be _happy._ That's what you need to do. Be _happy,_ Stell. That's what makes you so damn beautiful and attractive. That's what made me fall in love with you. That's the reason everyone turns to you when they're upset. I miss you and I miss your smile," he protested. "The Stella I know is strong as hell. I miss her arguing with me, fighting with me, and making a huge fuss over the littlest things. I miss you even though you're right here."

She stared at him and blinked.

"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" he asked with a pointed look.

"...I make a huge fuss over the littlest things?" she asked, her forlorn expression turning into one of irritation.

He glanced at her for a moment before chuckling. "Out of all the things that I said, that's what you picked up on?" he shook his head in amusement.

"That's mean," she said with crossed arms. Her childish fury subsided before she glanced at him with apology. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

"You should be," he sighed. "When you wander off _alone_ and lie about it, _of course,_ it scares me. The world isn't a friendly place. And I can't let anything happen to you," he whispered before she rested her head in the crook of his neck, ignoring the way his skin tingled as she breathed.

"I'm so sorry I yelled at you," he softly said, caressing a side of her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you needed me."

"Me too," she sniffled. "I'm sorry I didn't let you in."

"Tomorrow...don't let this affect you. Go to your classes and come back when you're done," he said gently. "We'll talk again after you return."

She nodded. "Do you hate me?" she hiccuped. "Aren't you angry at me?"

"I can never hate you. And...of course I am," he told her with a sigh. "What am I supposed to do when you just...run away? Do you have _any_ idea how worried I was?"

"I wasn't running," she said truthfully. "I just...I wanted to get some air."

"That's not what went through my mind when you were MIA." He sighed. "Stella, I really wish it wasn't true, but...women are always in greater danger than men," he softly explained. "Understand that. Please. What can you really do against someone like me? I'm stronger _and_ I'm heavier than you. You won't be able to hurt me that easily. That's why I get really worried when you stay out without telling me. It's not because I don't trust you. It's because I don't trust the people around you. It's because I can't live if something happens to you. Think about me the next time you pull a stunt like that."

"If something does happen, it will take me at least thirty minutes to get there. A lot can happen in thirty minutes, sweetheart," he whispered. "There's no point in repenting afterwards because by that time...we already lost."

"I'm sorry, Brandon," she hiccuped. "Please don't break up with me," she cried.

"Sunshine..." he sighed softly. "I love you, beautiful. I won't ever leave you. Just because I say something when I'm angry doesn't mean that I mean it."

"I'm sorry," she hiccuped.

"Shhh, it's okay. Calm down. It's over. So, just...forget about it. Okay?" he whispered gently before wiping away her tears. "Go and wash your face. No offense, but you look horrible," he chuckled, making her let out a short laugh. But she didn't care. Her world was no longer a dull, grey void. It was colorful. It chirped with happiness and swayed with peace.

He stood up before helping her up. He watched her as she scurried off to the bathroom to clean herself up.

* * *

Stella stood in the bathroom and stared at herself. Her face looked cleaner but she was...tired. Physically _and_ mentally. She touched her face cautiously. Her cheeks were swollen, her eyes were red and puffy, her face looked haggard, and she looked as if she aged by fifty years.

The bathroom door opened, but she looked unfazed as she stared at herself, wondering who this foreign, yet identical lookalike is in the mirror. "You've been hogging the place for about twenty minutes," he complained before he noticed her scrutinizing herself. He tapped her shoulder. "Hello?" he said, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Did I change?" she asked, turning to him. "Am I the same person you met two years ago?"

He pursed his lips before pondering on her question. It was an obvious answer that didn't need much thought. "The first time I met you...you were amusing," he said with a smile of reminiscence. "I loved your tantrums, but I couldn't stand you crying. I didn't know how to comfort someone because no one's ever done it for me," he told her while a small frown touched his lips. "I changed for you when we got together. I didn't want my past to affect my present. I knew you needed someone better, someone you can trust. I wanted the same from you too," he said, gripping her chin slightly. "I wanted someone who doesn't remind me of what I lost once. I wanted someone I can love, respect, and trust. You've never broken my belief in you," he told her. "So...to answer your question, yes, you are the same person I met."

She laughed through her tears. "Wow. That's such a long answer."

He laughed along with her before holding her arms. "Can I ask something from you?"

She nodded seriously.

"...You need to take time to grieve," he said softly, making her eyes widen. "I'm not expecting to get over your parents' death, but I can't see you cry anymore. Not like this."

She looked away before he turned her back to him. He locked his arms around her waist.

"How long has it been since you visited them?" he softly asked.

She bit her lip and she looked away. They both knew the answer to that.

 _Never._

 _She never visited them at all._

* * *

 **~ 4:30 AM ~**

He stayed awake and watched her _try_ to fall asleep. He wished he could bathe in the blissful ignorance that the world is such a great place. But it's not. It took _everything_ from this one girl. _Everything._ Watching someone you love die is cruel. She felt so light, almost feathery, that it was starting to scare him.

 _No,_ he warned himself. He can't let her become that living shell.

"...Sunshine?" he whispered. "Are you sleeping?"

"No," she said.

"...What was your dream about?" he asked curiously. She behaved really weirdly when she woke up that, for a second, he thought she was losing her mind. He literally thought she might've been possessed.

"You left me..." she sniffled. "The same way my parents did. And...and I was alone."

 _No wonder she was scared out of her wits._

His voice fell. "As long as I'm breathing, as long as I'm standing, you'll never be alone," he said quietly, with tears brimming his eyes. The thought of even parting with her in any way, shape, or form...it's unbearable. It was cruel. He didn't want to leave her alone. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and only her.

"Thank you, Brandon," she softly said. "You're my best friend," she whispered. "You're the only family I have. I can't lose you."

"Neither can I," he said, tears swirling in his eyes.

* * *

 **~ The Following Morning - 7:45 AM ~**

"Have a good day," he mustered a smile for her before putting the car in parking. She nodded. She checked herself one more time in the mirror on the visor. Her face showed traces of fatigue and she had to use a lot of concealer to hide those ugly dark circles. She pushed the visor up in aggravation. "Bye," she said with a sigh before opening the car door. She stepped out with her belongings before dejectedly walking away, deep in thought.

Brandon kept his eyes on her for a few moments until she abruptly stopped. She turned around again before walking up to the car. This time, she came back to the driver's side and tapped his window. He looked at her in question and she gestured for him to come out.

He stepped out of the car and before he knew it, the blonde was hugging him tightly. "Have a good day," she said with a small voice. "I'll be okay. I'll get over this and I promise that I'll be the same girl you met."

He smiled fondly before hugging her back. "I know you will," he told her, making her heart soar with a boost of confidence. "Now go," he said, pulling back from her. He lifted her chin to face him before kissing her softly. "How about a rain-check on that dinner when you come back?" he asked with a slight smile. A smile burst forth her lips. She nodded before she kissed him again. Smiling against her lips, he racked his brain to think of a good way to _hopefully_ clear the leftover tension and negativity.

* * *

 **~ 4:00 PM ~**

Brandon's eyes lit up when he saw Stella hugging Bloom and Tecna before making her way over to him. She caught his eye as he waited at the car. He waved to her before sending her a wink. He could see traces of her blush from all the way over here. He spread his arms as she neared him.

He gave her a warm, bear hug before kissing her cheek. "Had a good day?" he asked, his lips brushing her ear. She nodded solemnly, making him frown slightly.

"Let's go," he said before telling her to get in.

The car ride was no more than fifteen to twenty minutes and by the time they reached, she already fell asleep. He frowned at her. She looked slightly troubled and most of all, she looked tired. She barely got two hours of sleep last night and knowing her, it probably wore her out.

"Stell," he shook her slightly. "Wake up. Come on, we're home," he told her as she stirred.

She rubbed her eyes before getting out of the car sleepily. "Did I fall asleep?" she sighed before yawning. "How come you look okay?" she grumbled.

He chuckled. "I don't know. Maybe because I've been home all day?" he teased.

She tossed a jealous glare. The lazy oaf was sleeping his ass off all day and she was the stuck with listening to hours of classes in a row? _Not fair._

They entered the house and Stella immediately put her stuff aside. He took her things before placing them in their bedroom. Meanwhile, the blonde spread herself across the couch, ready to catch up on a few hours of sleep.

Brandon entered the living room and sighed with amusement before walking over to the couch. "Hey," he shook her awake.

"W-What?" she grumbled before pushing him away. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Screw it. I'm taking you out," he declared.

She opened her eyes and saw him so close to her face. She reached up to touch his face as he glanced at her questioningly. "Get up," he pressed.

"Why?" she sighed before slowly sitting up.

"I'm taking you out," he declared, grabbing her forcibly by the arm, making her stand up before dragging her to the bedroom.

"W-What?! Why?! Wait!" she protested as he hauled her straight to her closet. He opened the door to reveal her clothes on hangers.

With a frustrated sigh, she moved to mind her own business when he grabbed her back effortlessly by the waist. "Stop that! You're hurting me!" Stella protested, trying to get him to loosen his grip on her.

"Then I suggest you stop moving," he said absentmindedly before looking at her clothes.

"Hmm..." he thought, breezing his fingers through the assorted clothes of dresses, shirts, jeans, shorts, etc. His eyes lit up when one particular dress caught his eye. "Wear this," he smiled in satisfaction, pulling out an off-shoulder, floral-print, icy white, mini sundress. There were light red flowers spread around the dress in random patterns. He placed it against her body and saw that it reached her mid-thighs. "I don't think I ever saw you with this."

"Because I never wore it in front of you," she shrugged. "Brandon, I'm not in the mood," she said in dissatisfaction before looking away unenthusiastically.

"Great!" he sarcastically exclaimed. "Go take a shower and we'll go out."

She sighed in exasperation. She didn't have the energy to bear false enthusiasm even for him. "Can you just—"

"No, I cannot," he shook his head, rudely interrupting her. "Either I can _strip_ you and _make_ you shower, which I would _love_ to, _OR_ you go and do it yourself," he smirked. She looked at him with an displeased frown before staring at the dress he picked out. With a defeated sigh, she took it before pushing him aside. He smirked when he watched her take out a fresh set of inner wear, something she refused to let him see. "Jerk," she whispered under her breath before marching straight to the bathroom.

* * *

Sitting on the bed, Brandon watched her brush her hair and watched in a trance as her fingers traced what appeared as golden waterfalls. He frowned slightly when she tossed her hair in a low ponytail using a scrunchie. He stood up and went behind her before pulling her hair tie out in a snap.

"What the—!" she exclaimed with a gasp as her hair tumbled down in glossy waves. She turned around, mesmerizing him at how her hair danced behind him. "What are you doing?" she asked with a huff.

"I like it this way," he smiled innocently.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. Whatever. I'm ready," she shrugged before putting on some light perfume.

He seemed oddly happy for some reason but to be honest, she wasn't. She felt disturbed and just...weird. Maybe it was the fight between them or the will Bell dropped on her or both. Whatever it was, she was mentally exhausted.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Stella asked curiously as she turned her head to the side to face him.

"You'll know," he chuckled.

"Early dinner?" she asked, making a guess.

He thought for a moment. "No," he shook his head.

"Movies? Ice-cream? Maybe to a park? Camping? Picnic? Drive-in? McDonald's—" she listed whatever came to her mind, making him look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Now you're just making absurd guesses," he rolled his eyes. "McDonald's? Seriously?"

She blushed sheepishly as he continued driving.

In a few minutes, she gasped when he pulled off the road and into a large complex. "The mall?!" she cried in excitement.

He chuckled at her instantaneous reaction. "Mhm," he hummed in agreement.

He parked the car to the nearest slot possible before turning it off. They both hopped out of the car. "We're at the mall?" she asked with a bright smile.

"Yes," he grinned, kissing her cheek affectionately. He pulled out his wallet before taking out his silver, platinum credit card. "Buy whatever you want," he smiled down at her. "You're allowed to max the card out."

Her jaw dropped. "Really?!" she said with her eyes twinkling as she grabbed the card from him. "I am?" she smiled, her expression forming into an evil little smirk.

He shifted uncomfortably at her excitement. "Yeah...but...let's try not to go there?"

She started to laugh at his obvious discomfort. "So...you'll come with me?" she giggled, knowing how much he _despised_ shopping like any other guy. He wasn't the type to window shop and linger longer than necessary. If he needed a new pair of jeans, he'll just head straight to the first store he sees, grab one, and get outta there. But she, however...she's _another_ story like any other girl.

"Well...normally, I won't. But...today, I think I'll make a painstakingly painful exception," he groaned before following her, a part of him already regretting this excursion.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

"Stell...this is the twentieth store! I think it's enough for the day," he groaned with exhaustion while holding up the bags she gave him. "Babe, I'm whipped. And we haven't had dinner yet!"

"You said that today was my day," Stella retorted.

"Well, not anymore! Let's go!" he frowned, tugging on her arm. "I'm starving!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" she protested before swatting his arm away. "I'm not leaving. I'm in heaven. Can't you see?" she glowed as she eyed the store with hearts in her eyes.

 _Sephora...every girl's version of heaven._

"Why do women even wear makeup?" he snorted in distaste, following her around the aisles.

"Because men like you are attracted to outer beauty?" Stella rolled her eyes.

"I think I speak for all men when I say that a little bit here and there is fine but using your face as a coloring book is not okay," Brandon shuddered in disgust. Thank god this girl didn't need any makeup. Otherwise, every time they kissed, he'd probably pull off a layer of makeup. _Gross._

"Sunshine, I think I'm going to wait in the car," he yawned, obviously beat. "I'm tired."

"No, stay," Stella pouted. She stared at him in annoyance. He apparently had the energy to work his butt off even at late nights, but he can't follow her around a little? _Men._

"Damn you," he cursed before waiting impatiently. "This was a mistake."

"I'll mope around everyday if it means you'll spoil me," she grinned, looking around.

"Okay, fine. I'll at least put these things in the car," he grumbled, waving the bags in her face to emphasize his point. At least that way, time will tick and he'll have something to do. She giggled to herself as he left the store in a relief. She resumed looking at the aisles of makeup. She honestly never brought too much. She didn't feel like she needed it. She felt comfortable in her own skin, but she'd have to be lying if she said that looking at the colors and beautifully packed bottles didn't bring out the girlish side in her.

* * *

Stella roamed around the mall, in and out of different stores, before checking the time. Brandon's been gone for nearly an hour. It's a pretty big mall, so walking back to the parking lot and returning is going to take a lot of time. Either that _or..._

Stella chuckled to herself, knowing that he was probably just waiting for her in the car. Poor guy. He must be tired.

She blinked when her white, side sling bag vibrated against her hips. She dug her hands in to pull out her phone before seeing that it was a text from him.

 _Where are you?_

She chuckled. He must be getting really impatient.

 _East wing. Nordstrom. Give me a few minutes. I'll come out. Where's the car, by the way?_

She hit 'send' before pushing her phone back in. She decided that it's probably enough for today. Tomorrow is a week day too and they hadn't had their dinner yet. The night was fairly young, so she'd have plenty of time to catch up on her sleep too.

She walked towards the exit of the store before moving to leave the mall. She waited for a text from Brandon because honestly, she forgot where the car was parked.

She jumped and nearly squealed in fright when an arm coiled around her waist. "Easy," Brandon whispered with a devious smirk, clearly enjoying her reactions.

Stella angrily turned to him before smacking him square in the chest. "You jerk!" she hollered as loud as she possibly could without attracting attention. "Stop scaring me like that! I thought it was some other guy," she breathed, clutching her heart.

"Another guy?" he chuckled. "If anyone touches you, it'll be a miracle if they can walk again," he smirked, making her jaw drop. Before long, she blushed deeply before noticing a bag in Brandon's other hand.

"What's that?" she asked curiously, pointing to it. She didn't buy it.

"Huh? Oh. This is for you," he handed her the bag.

"What's in this?" she asked curiously, peering inside.

"...Something that I want to see you in," he smirked, giving her a wink.

Her cheeks flamed at his suggestive eyes. "I'm not wearing whatever this is," she stuttered before he started to laugh in amusement.

"You won't wear something that I brought you with love?" he said, clutching his heart with mock offense. "Oh, my heart," he dramatically sighed, leaving her to smack him in the chest again. He glared at her. This was clearly her favorite place of abuse, considering how many times she hit him already.

"I'm serious! What's in here?! How about the color?" she asked, trying to get a hint out of him.

"...I love it when you wear white," he smiled faintly.

"...You didn't buy me lingerie, right?" she stuttered with her cheeks burning with each passing second.

He smirked. "I'm flattered you trust me enough to let me buy you those," he grinned. "But no _,_ I didn't."

She let out a sigh of relief. It will be a while before she will start letting him buy her lingerie. Being the shy prude that she is, that 'while' is a _long_ time away.

* * *

 **~ Back at the House - 9:30 PM ~**

Stella started to hang up the new clothes in the closet. Her eyes fell on the wrapped box. With curious eyes, she unwrapped it gently. She took the ribbons off before placing them to the side. She opened the box before her lips parted slightly at the folded dress in front of her. She took it out slowly before holding it up, marveling at the way it unraveled itself. _Wow,_ she breathed. The dress was a beautiful sheer white with long sleeves, bringing out her fair, sun-kissed tone. The silky gown came with a smocking that ran across the bodice, accentuated by a small satin bow in the middle. It gently grazed her thighs. It's...it's beautiful. It's more like a night gown, but still. It was gorgeous.

She instantly took off her clothes before slipping the dress on, blushing in awe at how perfectly it fit her. It hugged her at the right places, but it wasn't too tight. If there was one thing about Brandon, he never brought her suggestive clothes. He knew that she'd feel a little uncomfortable roaming around in suggestive clothing even if it's only in front of him. She pulled the strings into a bow in the front of her chest to tighten the neckline.

Standing in front of a mirror, he looked at herself in awe. Brandon did really have the best taste in clothes.

Blushing, she went out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where he was apparently shelving the groceries. His back was to her, but that didn't make her blush deepen any less. She approached him slowly, a little self-conscious of herself. She honestly hoped that he liked it because he always had such good taste in clothes and...she wanted him to be attracted to her.

"B-Brand...?" she shyly smiled before tapping his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he hummed without turning around.

She tapped his shoulder again. "What?" he asked with a smile as he turned around. His smile fell short when he saw what she was wearing. His eyes widened at the way the dress pruriently hugged her body. Okay. This wasn't something he would _ever_ allow her to wear outside. Most definitely not. He didn't need anybody peeking. It wasn't vulgar or revealing, _per se_ , but it would make any man's senses go frenzy. He rarely saw her in white, so this was another reason why this appealed to him so much. He always loved her in any color she wore but seeing her in any shades of white or yellow are, _hands down_ , his favorite.

"Do you like it?" she asked shyly when she caught him staring. But he wasn't staring at _just_ her dress. It was _her_ in general. Her healthy, golden hair that fell till her waist in curled, bouncy waterfalls, the twinkling mischief in her beautiful golden eyes, and her lips that were tinted with a sinful coral peach made his senses go hazy.

A faint smile touched his lips at how conscious she felt of herself under his penetrating gaze. In all reality, she actually had nothing to be self-conscious about. She's perfect the way she is.

He stepped closer to her before his hands reached up to caress her face. "You look beautiful," he smiled. He couldn't find it in himself to look away when her eyes literally lit up at his compliment. "Thank you!" she grinned with joy before wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiled when she kissed his cheek. "You have such good taste in clothes."

"Yeah. I know," he chuckled, reciprocating her hug.

"Feel better?" he asked after a long pause, stroking her back with his thumb.

She, too, paused as her smile fell slightly. "...Thank you," she whispered, pulling back.

He nodded before they both leaned in to kiss. The world fell away the second his lips touched hers. It was just a soft pressure, nothing more, but it spoke volumes of his feelings to her. She hadn't realized till he mentioned it. He took her out to make her feel better. But to be honest, more than the actual shopping session, it was his thought that counted. A involuntary tear slipped down her cheek as he slowly and softly kissed her, silently comforting her in a way that no one ever can. His hand rested just below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek and gently clearing it of tears.

They pulled back after a few seconds, resting their foreheads against each other and thinking about no one else but the other. Neither pulled away from each other, etching this moment forever into their hearts.

"No longer mad at me?" she asked with mischievous eyes.

Instead of frowning, his smile grew slightly. "Instead of thinking about the one time I do something wrong, think of the million times I do to show much I love you," he chuckled.

Her lips curved into a smile before she hugged him. "You know...you're the cheesiest guy I've ever met," she giggled. But she didn't deny how much his words warmed her till her toes. How can he _always_ know the _perfect_ things to say?

"I have only you to blame then," he smiled, holding her close to him.

A long paused ensued before he spoke up again with a sheepish grin. "Dinner?"

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapters...**_

 _"He doesn't love you."_

 _..._

 _"I do," Flora smiled sweetly at her soon-to-be husband._

 _..._

 _"He cheated on her," Heather said glumly with disappointed eyes._

* * *

 **AN:** Well, well, well, hello! Okay, I apologize if the chapter seemed very disorderly, especially as it neared the ending. I actually don't have an excuse other than wanting to post sooner, I guess?

Thank you if you made it this far :) I hope you enjoyed it :)! _**3 more chapters to go! Weeeee!**_ I'm sooooo over this story that I just want to finish it and get it over with xD So, guys, please motivate me into updating lol xD By motivating, I don't mean breathing down my neck like how desperate Neha does on a constant basis. Now, that's harassment and violation of personal space. Don't be like her or I'll have to write another AN about another person ;) Just kidding :) I don't think there's a worse human being than her lol.

I thought this was my longest chapter yet with about 27,500 words, but chapter 26 beat it to about 2000 words lol xD But it's okay. Quantity doesn't matter; I hope the quality is okay :)

 _ **See you guys in the next one :D!** _

**_Next date of update: UNCERTAIN._**

 _ **HAVE A GREAT DAY, EVERYONE! :D :D :D**_


	32. The Wedding

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE** **1000+ REVIEWS!** **THANK YOU!**_ I've _never_ thought that my stories would cross 100 reviews, much less 1000! Thank you so much to everyone!

I'm apologize in advance if I sound dull anywhere in the ANs, but I don't feel too well health-wise. I've been sneezing and experiencing sore throat for a week or two now. _Not the most comfortable feeling, I'll admit._ Blame the changing of seasons **-.-** I hate Spring and I loathe Summer. God help me -_- I need late Fall and Winter again :( Meaning, I have about eight more months of torture to bear with this weather *sigh*

Once again, thank you so much for your reviews and love, guys :) Anyways, I received _three_ particular reviews that caught my attention.

 **Lara, New fangirl, and Guest (you guys are so sweet, thank you so much)** : _**Have you thought about doing a sequel for SH?**_

First, let me thank you by saying how much I'm flattered by that question. And second, the answer to that is... ** _it depends_.** Truth is that I started this story sometime in Nov 2017 and it has been and will be well over a year by the time I finish this. About 8-9 months ago, I did say in one of my ANs that I was planning on doing a sequel. It is true. I have a plot ready in mind. _But,_ I'm not sure if people are _still_ invested in the story as much as when I first started it. But if they are, then I'd definitely _**love**_ to do one.

How about this? I'll post a preview of the sequel _after_ SH is finished and you guys tell me if you want a sequel or not :) I'll warn you ahead. It _may_ be _darker_ than SH. I know. I know what you're all thinking. Stella and Brandon already faced way too much and we don't want them getting the idea that they're just not meant to be. I don't want to reveal anything yet, but if you've observed closely, then you'll notice that most of the 'dramas' in this story involved either Stella or Brandon making some mistake. SH part two, however, won't have that. I know this is _such_ a stupid and pathetic explanation, but at the moment, for lack of better terms, that's all I can say.

Feel free to let me know what all of you think :) Again, I'll choose whether or not to do a sequel based on the _popular opinion._ If you can't decide now, it's fine. The sequel will start after this story ends anyway and I _will_ post a decent preview in the last chapter _(chapter 34)_ , so you can judge better.

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter. Peace XX**

 **See you in the AN down below ;)!**

* * *

 _ **1-2 days later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 1:00 AM ~**

It has been about a day or two since the disclosure of the will by Ben Hall. In addition to that, there was already so much happening in the this week for the both of them. Flora has begun harassing them already for her wedding. It was literally in four to five days, coinciding exactly with the start of Stella's spring break.

Stella and Brandon both struggled to finish up their work in the coming week, so they can attend the wedding and reception hassle-free. The timing was actually a little troublesome, but seriously, it could be worse. Stella's degree was close at hand and each day was important to her. The blonde increased her tempo and slept less, asking for help from Brandon whenever necessary. He, without being asked, helped her with chores whenever he could and didn't disturb her too much.

Today was _Wednesday._ Despite however busy they might be, everyone deserved a break every now and then. It's healthy to get mental freedom for a few hours. Brandon shook his head as he stood at the door of their second bedroom. It's just a little sad that his blonde didn't understand that yet. He walked up to her and saw that she was really concentrated. She sat at her desk, tapping her pen against her chin absentmindedly and boring holes through her textbooks while scribbling something furiously every now and then.

He walked to her slowly, not wanting to startle her. "Stell," he nudged her slightly. "Your coffee," he said before placing a steaming coffee mug on her desk.

"Thanks," she smiled a little tiredly at him before he nodded.

"Sure you don't want to get some sleep? You have classes tomorrow," he shrugged.

"No, you go on," she shook her head. "I'll finish up here before joining you."

"Good night then," he nodded before kissing the top of her head and then leaving for bed. She didn't really reply as she dove back to her studies. He couldn't help but frown slightly on his way though. Even since Ben came by, Stella's mood has dimmed visibly. Even though he took her out on a spontaneous shopping spree, the effect of her euphoria wore off by the next day. She's been doing everything she can to forget that incident in the only way she knew how. _Throwing herself into work._

... _Just like I did once,_ he frowned to himself. That's why he loved his job so much. It helped him cope with the grief Skylar left him with. Even when Stella left him, it gave him a silent solace that no one ever could. For him, it was like meditation although Stella didn't understand it. In fact, no one really did understand the impact his job on him. _However,_ even though his job did help him get back on his feet in a way (sort of), he never understood the damage it did on the people who loved him.

 _Until now._

Stella has been working a little too hard now that her degree's close at hand, but it intensified even more in the last few days. Watching her barely eating and drinking hurt him to an extent and he didn't know how to help. Time is the greatest gift one can have and he hoped it's the same for her. She can't keep running from her problems. She can't ignore something just because it triggers awful memories.

Now that _he's_ on the receptive end of it, he's starting to understand what he must've put everyone through. He sighed before turning in for the night. Her vacation starts this Friday, which is day after tomorrow. _Or, rather,_ it's tomorrow considering it's technically Thursday now, since the clock ticked one-fifteen in the morning. Maybe he can take her out or do something then and _hopefully,_ cheer her up. He didn't like seeing her this way. He missed the playful smile on her and the nagging she always put him through to leave his laptop and join her on the bed. She was the one who was supposed to drag him to bed, not the other way around!

 _Is this how she felt too?_ he mused. Sighing, he shut the door to the master bedroom to subdue the light emanating from the other room. Heading to bed, he hoped that tomorrow will be better. Flora's wedding is on Monday and he can't wait to have the best time with the blonde there.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ 7:00 AM ~**

Brandon's alarm beeped unceremoniously. _Good lord,_ his ears twitched with irritation as his hands instantly shot out to slam the snooze button on his phone. He rolled around the sheets, not even bothering to wake up. He rolled over on his stomach before hugging his pillow in his sleep. The sheets tangled messily around him before his body relaxed once more.

Within a few minutes, his trusty alarm rang again, making him groan once more. He rolled over on his back before grabbing his phone from the nightstand. Sometimes, he hated how faraway weekends are. Weekends were days that he refused to work so much. _Especially_ Sundays. It's Thursday and weekend still seems light years away. He opened and closed his sleepy eyes rapidly before they settled for fully open. He yawned before cutting off the annoying alarm. His hands scoured around the bed for a softer body. Frowning when he didn't feel Stella around, he looked to see that she was nowhere here. _Up already?_ he sighed to himself in disappointment. Oh well. Might as well get up then.

The first dawn of light seeped into the room through the tiny cracks between the curtains that covered the room. "Stell, I need coffeeeee!" he shouted before grudgingly dragging himself out of bed. He yawned and walked to the bathroom before loosely closing the door behind him.

Fifteen to twenty minutes later, he was splashing his face with cool water before drying himself off with a cotton face towel. He ruffled his hair messily before stepping out. He went straight out of the bedroom and to the kitchen to sip on his morning cup of coffee. "Stel, where's my coffee?!" he huffed when he saw nothing around the kitchen. It looked as if it hasn't been touched since he had cleaned it last night. "Um...hello?!" he looked around. "Are you mad at me?" he wondered out loud before seeing where she is. _Why isn't she responding to him?_

He marched into the second bedroom to give her a piece of his mind for ignoring him. "Stell, why aren't you—" he stopped suddenly when he saw her at her desk. His eyes softened when he saw that she was fast asleep. _Did she sleep here?_ he thought in disbelief. It seems so. Her books were still wide open and there was a pen in her hand. Her laptop was open too, except that the screen was blank.

Brandon blinked when he checked the time. _7:24 AM._

"Oh shit," he cursed before rushing to the blonde. "Stella, get up!" he shook her shoulders before pulling her out of her chair. Startled, she screamed before jumping ten feet into the air. "Get up, you ditz!" he yelled.

"Oh my god, you scared the shit out of me!" she screamed, her eyes flashing open, throwing sleep out the window. "WHAT IS IT?!"

He huffed before holding her head and turning her face towards the clock. Her eyes widened. _Holy crap!_ "Snap, I'm sooo late!" she gasped before making a beeline to get ready.

"The nerve to actually yell at me," he grumbled, throwing his hands up in surrender before rushing to the kitchen to make breakfast for her quickly.

* * *

Stella kept jumping in her seat frantically as the clock ticked by. Her eyes brightened when she saw her building in view. Brandon pulled up into the parking lot but before he could fully put the car into a steady stop, she was already on her way out.

"Bye!" Stella wished him frantically before jumping out of the car.

"Stella, let me stop the damn car!" he shouted aggressively but it was too late. She was already rushing her way into her building. He shook his head and looked around to see if she forgot anything.

He waited for a few minutes in case she did forget something. Before long, he drove out of the campus.

 _What a way to start a morning._

He headed straight to the gym he regularly went to before carrying out with his day.

* * *

 _ **Many hours later...**_

 **~ 7:30 PM ~**

"Stell, dinner's ready!" Brandon shouted from the kitchen. The blonde simply glanced up for a second before dismissing his calls. She turned her attention to her books again.

Hearing no response from her, Brandon narrowed his eyes into a scowl. He set the plates down before going into the bedroom she buried herself in since _hours_. "Dinner's ready," he said, peeved at her ignorance. He drummed his knuckles on the doorway quite loudly, attracting her attention.

"I'll eat later. I'm not hungry," she said airily.

He scowled again. He wasn't having this. "Too bad," he fumed before marching up to her desk and rapidly closing her books while using her pens as bookmarks. "No, what are you—" she protested.

"You're not going to achieve anything in twenty minutes," he snapped. "Let's go," he commanded, dragging her to the living room by her arm.

"Brandon, wait—!" she squealed as she flew unceremoniously behind him.

He handed her a full plate filled with slow-cooked Sunday chicken and angel hair pasta. "I can't have all of this!" she exclaimed in horror.

"Stella, either you eat or I shove this down your throat," he growled, tapping his foot impatiently. He pushed her shoulders down and made her sit in the chair. "Eat," he sternly said, folding his arms.

She stared at the food in front of her with zero appetite. She hasn't been eating that much days; she knew that, but she couldn't help it. Under his pensive stare, she picked up a fork before twirling the pasta around it, watching the pasta hairs slither spirally around the plate. She picked up the forkful of pasta before bringing it to her mouth. It smelled heavenly to her. But she's just not feeling it. She doesn't feel enthusiastic enough to savor it. With a sinking heart, she lowered the fork.

"...You won't eat?" he asked with an accusatory tone after watching her little display of zero appetite. "Fine. Guess I'm not gonna eat dinner tonight too," he shrugged before abruptly turning around and leaving the table at once. Her eyes widened before she blinked. _Guess I'm not gonna eat dinner tonight too?_ she repeated his words. _Too?_

She followed him into their bedroom as he sulked on the bed angrily. For some reason, a giggle left her lips. With folded arms and twitching lips, he looked _...dare she say adorable?_ "...Brandon Shields, are you sulking?" she asked, amused. His lips twitched slightly upwards and for a second, it looked like he was going to smile. She waited for a counter but when he didn't bother to reply even after a few seconds, she sighed and walked over to him. She unfolded his arms. He stiffened but didn't say anything. Without a word, she sat in his lap and made herself at home. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she threw both her legs over his and relaxed in his hold. His icy stance melted when his arms encased her body before pulling her closer.

"What did you mean by that?" she asked. "...Were you not eating?"

"No," he said, his tone clipped. "If you won't, then I won't either."

"What is wrong with you?!" she said harshly, smacking him in the chest.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said bitterly, locking his eyes with hers. "You're walking around like a living shell and..." he sighed. "...And I don't know what to do," he whispered. For a few moments, his eyes looked so _vulnerable,_ shocking her with guilt. She never saw him vulnerable before. _Oh my..._ she frowned. He always looked so strong. His confidence gave him a shield of invincibility that no one ever dared to cross his path without expecting to regret it. And now...that confident, audacious man that she fell in love with was nowhere to be seen. And to know that _she_ was the one responsible for it... _no._ Just _no._

"Brandon...please just stop. I'm fine," she tried to appease him.

He sighed almost sadly. "Are you really? You haven't been eating for the past few days. Or sleeping, for that matter. How is that fine?!" he scowled instantly, remembering this morning's fiasco. "I have a problem with that. I don't like it. You're losing weight and...I hate it," he said, his voice turning off into a sad whisper.

"I'm not losing weight," she frowned. She's just been out of it for a few days. She's not going to lose weight. He's over-exaggerating.

"I think I know your body better than you do," he said, his frown turning upside down into a lopsided grin. A blush crept into her features. How does he manage to make everything so funny? A childish grin rested on his face, a reaction that was rare for her to see. She liked seeing him like this. Playful Brandon was fun to be with.

In their current position, she was taller than him by a few inches. He sighed before resting his head on her shoulder. "Eat for me, Sunshine," he asked of her, his lips moving against just above her chest. _No, no, come back, playful Brandon!_ she thought frantically, seeing him go into his all-too-familiar, mysterious, rock mode again.

"Okay," she caved in with a defeated sigh. He always had this huge problem with her not eating enough food. She didn't miss the immense relief that fanned over his handsome face. "Thank you," he softly said, his lips stretching into a smile. She smiled back. He hands-down had the best smile she has ever seen. No questions asked. End of discussion.

She got off his lap before they both headed into the dining room. Obviously in a better mood than before, she perked up a little upon reaching the food. A sweet, savory aroma wafted through the air, arousing her need for food. She picked up her plate which was still hot. He followed her suit into the living room after filling his plate in.

He sat down beside her before digging in. He didn't know about her but he was starving. And nothing could beat the food you make for yourself when you're hungry as hell. She watched him enjoying the food. And she probably would too — considering he cooked some of her favorites but then again, she loved anything he made — if not for the dull, moody experience a few days ago. Seeing her still from his periphery, he turned to her with a small scowl. "Eat or I'll feed you myself," he said with irritation.

She gave him her plate. "Can you?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow but shrugged a second later. "Oh. Then why didn't you just say so?" he remarked, taking the plate from her.

He smirked before picking up a forkful of angel hair pasta. "Here comes the airplane!" he mocked as if she was a child while whooshing the fork near her mouth. She shot him a small glare but opened her mouth anyway as he fed her.

"I'm not a child," she said sourly.

"Then quit acting like one," he retorted right on cue. "Don't make me beg you to eat."

She turned away as he picked up another forkful of food. "You're so bossy," she mumbled.

"Obviously I'm not bossy enough since I can't get you to take care of yourself," he said, countering her easily. "Come on," he urged her to continue eating.

"No," she stubbornly refused. "You're pissing me off."

"You already pissed me off," he calmly said.

She turned to him and observed that he had set down his plate of unfinished food long back. "You should eat too then," she said dryly, pointing to his plate. She reached for her plate to eat on her own but he held it back.

"It's fine. I'm not the type to starve myself," he said. "Meaning I _will_ eat eventually," he snorted. "Unlike someone I know, who just so happens to sit half a foot away from me."

She scowled at him before huffing at his insults. She didn't know about him, but she wasn't the type to gorge down anything while being insulted left and right.

Seeing that she was a little too salty at him, he sighed at her childish attitude. At times, it can be endearing and adorable. But at times like these, it was just infuriating. She had the _worst_ timings to show an attitude.

He set the plate down on the table before them before scooting closer to her. "Should I not bother with you at all then?" he asked her calmly. "Will that make you feel better?"

She turned to him before staring down at her lap, fidgeting with her fingers. She remembered the fight they had a few days ago. He left her alone for a few hours to fend for herself but the feeling of loneliness was dreary and unbearable. She slowly shook her head, answering both his questions.

He caressed her face gently. "Then talk to me," he asked, his voice commanding, but comforting. "Talk to me. I'll do my best to make you feel better. You being closed off and barely eating and sleeping is not helping," he said gently, but firm enough for her to get the point. "If you don't want to talk, then it's fine. At least take care of yourself, so I don't have the burden of worrying about you weighing on my shoulders."

She nodded slowly, listening to him quietly. He picked up the plate again once more with a sigh before taking a fork of chicken and hovering it near her lips. This time, she ate without complaining. Her eyes were cast down while she ate silently. "Look at me. You did nothing wrong, so don't hang your head like that," he said, lifting her face to meet her vibrant, yet sad eyes.

She glanced at him. "I'm sorry...I just...I feel overwhelmed," she sighed sadly.

"I know," he said, stroking her hair softly. "But this isn't the way to deal with it. Don't run from your problems, Stell. Time is _very_ precious, so...don't lose that," he said wistfully. He knew the value of time. _Three years._ That's how much he lost while drowning in his little reveries of Skylar. He shuddered, not wanting to think about how his life might've been if Stella never came in. _Oh good god, no._ He blinked into reality before continuing. "More than anything, I want you to be happy. This isn't you. I want my Stella back," he said, moving closer to her. Without another word, he leaned forward and gently pressed her lips on her cheekbone, closing his eyes for a few moments. He caressed her other cheek with his fingers, stroking it softly with the pad of his thumb.

He pulled back just slightly before opening his eyes. She turned to him with calmer, amber eyes. "Finish eating," he said with a tender look. "You too," she replied, giving him his plate and taking her almost-complete one. They finished dinner quietly. Honestly, the silence wasn't so bad. It was oddly comforting.

"I'll help," she said, reaching for his plate after they were finished.

"No, you need to rest," he shook his head, tracing his thumb over the hideous bags underneath her eyes to emphasize his point. "Go. I expect you to be asleep by the time I come back," he said, straight-laced. He took the plate from her before telling her to head to sleep, no questions asked. He headed straight to the kitchen to clean up and wash the dishes.

* * *

 _ **One hour later...**_

 **~ 9:00 PM ~**

Brandon yawned slightly before checking the time. God, the night was still so young. But he just wanted to relax. He strolled back to the master bedroom, hoping to catch up on the sleep that's been severely missing for the last few days. He stopped short when he saw that the bed was empty.

" _Stellaaaa_ ," he groaned before rubbing his forehead in frustration. Without another word, he made a 180-degree turn and marched into the other room before stopping himself at the doorway. _Not again,_ he thought, watching the scene before him. His eyes softened when he saw that she was fast asleep on the desk. _Again._ "Not really what I meant when I told you to fall asleep," he muttered in depreciation, running his hands through his hair. He expected her to fall asleep, but not here!

"Stell...?" he whispered cautiously before seeing that it was no use. He sighed. "What am I going to do with you?" he shook his head. He switched off the study lamp before closing her books once more. Turning to her laptop, he saved everything before shutting the computer off. He lifted her head up from the desk before pulling the rotating chair back. Picking her up with ease, he carried her over to the other room. He gently set her down before tucking her in warmly.

He set an alarm on his phone for tomorrow before setting his phone on the nightstand. He stood up to turn the lights off. Closing the door, he turned on the air conditioner. Moments later, he opened the sheets before joining her on the bed.

Stella stirred when she felt the bed bouncing before her eyes flustered open. She suddenly gasped before sitting straight up. "Oh no, you don't," Brandon sternly glared at her before grabbing her back before she could leave. She wiggled in his hold before slowly started to sit up.

He held her back. "Where are you going?" he asked with an edge, sitting up with her.

"I have to—" she tried to argue.

"No, you don't," he sternly pressed her back to the bed. "Have you looked at yourself lately?"

"But—" she protested, reaching for her textbook.

"No buts," he sternly shook his head. "Even a full-blown genius needs a break every once in a while. I'm not having this discussion with you anymore."

She sighed, deciding that she didn't have the energy or will to continue the pointless argument. She cooed when cool air from the air conditioner fanned into the room. "That feels so good," she mumbled, turning to him for body heat. He coiled his body around hers protectively. _Oh, how he missed this..._ "I told you," he chuckled. She turned her head to face him. "Do I really look that terrible?"

"Yes," he said with a concerned look. "Nine hours," he whispered. "Get a good night's rest. Tomorrow's Spring break for you."

"Why can't it start today?" she mumbled restlessly, leaving him to lightly smile.

She was tired and frankly, so was he. She catapulted herself into something to avoid something else and he spent every waking moment concerned about her. They both closed their eyes and within minutes, the room was pin drop silent except for their relaxed breathing, overpowered slightly by a low humming of the air conditioner.

* * *

 **~ The Following Day - Princeton University - 5:00 PM ~**

Friday evening _eventually_ rolled in and came almost to an end. Meaning that Spring break is finally here and they both could go home! _What a perfect timing for a wedding too!_

"EEEEK! Spring breakkk!" Stella grinned in excitement as she jumped up and down in his arms, making him laugh. Seeing her in such a good mood all of a sudden warmed his heart. Her smile made his eyes gleam with fondness. "Let's go home and then you can go crazy. People are watching, Sunshine," he chuckled, kissing her cheek tenderly.

She looked around the parking lot to see both weird and amused glances from some people. "Sorry," she gave him an embarrassed smile. She didn't realize she was so loud.

"Get in," he laughed, ruffling her hair much to her annoyance.

"Don't do that!" she complained, hitting his arm and making him laugh again. She set her hair back to its original state again, making him shake his head.

 _Women._ He'll never understand them. "Had a good day?" he asked with a small smile as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Oh. I didn't really notice. I was too excited for break," she admitted sheepishly, making him laugh again in amusement.

In fifteen to twenty minutes, Brandon pulled up to the driveway of their house. The couple made their way inside the home before tossing their stuff aside.

"So, when exactly are we leaving?" he asked curiously, seeing her head straight to the bedroom.

He followed her and stopped at the doorway, leaning against it. Folding his arms and crossing his ankles one over the other, he watched her fall on the bed.

"An hour or two?" Stella replied. "I have to pack," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "You should get started too."

"I'm not taking much," he chuckled. "I have everything at home." He didn't bring any kind of formals with him, except for maybe one or two. Whenever he had to go to work, he'd always go home first, change, and then head to office. So, there was no point in carrying extra clothes back and forth. It would just wrinkle his suits.

She suddenly hopped out of bed. "Do you have a tux?" she blushed, coming over to him.

"You've seen me in one before," he smirked.

"So...you'll wear one for the wedding, right?" she asked.

"No, Stella, I'll be wearing a dress," he rolled his eyes, his voice _dripping_ with sarcasm.

"Ooooh, a dress would totally suit you," she smirked. "You have enough curves for it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Well, out of the two of us, _you_ have the right assets for it," he smirked, making her blush a soft peach.

"What color is your tie gonna be?" she curiously asked.

"Stell, you'll know when we walk down the aisle," he chuckled.

"I wanna know now!" she pouted.

"Blue," he smiled.

"Mine's a green dress!" she beamed, marveling at the thought of the dress. She and the girls have long back tried their bridesmaid dresses on to make sure they fit. They're with Flora and Heather.

"I can guess," he chuckled. "I don't see you very often in green," he mused.

"Do you like me wearing green?" she asked curiously.

"Not one of those horrendous neon shades, no," he shook his head in distaste. "Maybe a lighter color," he shrugged.

With lack of words to prolong the conversation, she kept staring at him.

"Stell...you're staring at me," he smirked.

"I like looking at you," she smiled. "You're handsome," she dreamily sighed. He rolled his eyes. "You're gorgeous too, but we really need to leave. So, enough chitchat. Get packing," he said, finally unfolding his arms to turn her around by her shoulders. "One hour. That's all you're gonna get," he said sternly.

* * *

 ** _A while later..._**

"Stell, are you done?!" Brandon shouted from the kitchen, checking his watch. Time was ticking and he didn't want them to be here any longer than they had to. He poured himself a glass of water.

"Brandon, can you zip this?!" Stella yelped from the bedroom. The brunette, after finishing his drink, cruised over to the bedroom. Opening the partially shut door, he entered before halting at the doorway. "What the—?!" he gaped at the mess before him. Clothes were thrown around everywhere. The blonde paced back and forth. He blinked in shock when she came into his view with a huge bundle in front of her, covering nearly half her body.

"Are you kidding me?!" he blurted in surprise. He wondered why the hell he let her pack alone. "Oh my god, why do you need so much?!" he gasped when he saw two, _very full,_ large spinner suitcases in addition to the bunch in her hands. "Stella, we'll be back in ten days!"

"TEN DAYS! That's one third of a month!" she gasped, peeking out from behind the clothes. "I need clothes and PLUS, there's a wedding!"

"Your dress is with Flora!" he protested in incredulity. "That's a bullshit reason!"

"I'm a girl," Stella huffed before rolling her eyes. "That's reason enough."

He scoffed. "Okay. I'm not carrying these," he stubbornly refused, pointing to them in distaste. "Do it yourself."

She threw the clothes on the floor, ready to stuff them into another suitcase. "We'll be here all night then," she smiled sweetly at him.

"...I hate you," he scowled, crossing his arms.

* * *

 _ **Nearly four hours later...**_

 **~ 10:50 PM ~**

"HOMEEEEEE!" the blonde squealed, popping her seat belt off the second he pulled into the long driveway. He glared at her in pure irritation. He had _such_ plans to get home by no later than eight. Thanks to her and her lack of timing and organization, they reached just in reach to shower and go to sleep!

She leaned over to the driver's seat before wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm happy to be back here again," she grinned. He hummed in agreement. So was he, honestly. His lips twitched upwards into a ghost of a smile when she kissed his cheek. He parked the car in the garage before turning the head lights and ignition off. He hopped out of the car before opening the trunk. He sighed at the luggage in the trunk. One would think this girl was moving some place else.

He grunted slightly when Stella came up to him and ravished his pockets. "Where are the keys?" she pouted, wiggling her hands into his pockets. "Found 'em!" she grinned when she felt a cool, metallic touch in his pant pocket. Without another word, she turned on her heel and ran towards the house, squealing happily to herself.

"Crazy airhead," he snorted before turning towards the boot and pulling her suitcases out.

* * *

 _ **A short while later...**_

 **~ 11:35 PM ~**

Brandon fell on the bed before groaning. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. He had a bit of a headache and was in no mood to do anything else for the night. He opened his eyes faintly when he heard a rapid footsteps running up the stairs. He winced uncomfortably when the door to the master bedroom burst open and a very enthusiastic, hyperactive blonde entered the room with what looked like DVDs in her hand.

"Brandon! Do you want to watch a movie?!" she smiled happily, fanning out a few DVD cases with her hands. His heart sunk with guilt. "Rain-check on that? I'm beat for tonight," he said apologetically. Her smile faltered slightly for a second before she brightened up again. "Okay. Good night," she smiled before kissing him briefly. He simply hummed in response. She turned around, turning off the lights and hitting up the air conditioner for him, before leaving the room.

 _Where did all the time go?_ he sighed to himself, hearing her go down the stairs. He didn't know whether he should be happy or sad. He had a good life. He really did. But the road to get here had potholes and roadblocks. It wasn't pretty.

And now, his little sister is getting married, not to mention she's six months pregnant, nearly halfway through her seventh. Meaning, he'll either get a niece or nephew in less than three months! Time really does fly by fast when you're having fun. He sat up slowly, suddenly losing the need for sleep. He's happy, but...he just wanted time to still for a while. They were all growing up so fast. Now, he's married. In about four months, he and Stella will hit their second anniversary. It's crazy, right? It felt like just yesterday that she bumped into him in the coffee shop. But no, it's been almost two years since she came into his life. _Why did I waste last year?_ he sighed deeply to himself, regretting ever letting it go that far.

With a sad, melancholic sigh, he threw off the covers on his body. He opened the door to leave the room when he heard cryptic noises from the living room. She must be watching a movie.

Brandon slowly descended down the stairs, only to hear hushed music and raspy, terrified voices coming from the TV. He saw Stella nuzzled into a sofa while casually popping buttery popcorn into her mouth.

"Hi! You haven't gone to sleep yet?" the blonde asked, giving him a small smile before turning to the TV again.

"Can't," he said simply. "What're you watching?" he asked curiously, turning his eyes towards the screen.

"Bird Box," she replied without tearing her eyes off the TV.

"Ahh," he nodded, making his way over to her. "Mind if I join?"

"No, of course not," she smiled. "Come on," she said while sitting up. Grabbing his hand and making him sit beside her, she nuzzled herself back into her original position. He absentmindedly stroked her hair while taking a deep breath.

"Want one?" she offered the bowl to him to which he shook his head quietly. He averted his eyes from the TV to her. Her eyes were wide, curious golden pools as ever as she ate popcorn absentmindedly. With her head resting in his lap, she appeared as relaxed as she can be. It's nice to see her like this. He wished that she didn't stress herself so much. It's been hard to see her overworking herself for the past week. He wondered if it's the house that brought the change in her, but nonetheless, it was stress-relieving to see.

Without a word, he bent to kiss her cheek. He closed his eyes for moments before withdrawing. She turned to him with a small, bashful smile. "You okay?" she asked. He shrugged, giving her a quiet, ambiguous response.

Stella paused the movie before turning on her back to look up at him. "No...you're not okay," she frowned. "What's wrong?"

Brandon sighed before shaking his head. "Nothing. You look really beautiful tonight for some reason," he told her randomly.

She raised an eyebrow before looking down at her plain clothes. "...Thank you?" she said in confusion.

He chuckled. "You always look beautiful," he commented with a faint smile.

"Well, you're not too bad yourself," she giggled.

"You really think so?" he smiled slightly. He always knew he was attractive but hearing her perspective makes a huge difference.

"Yes," she nodded. "Stop diverting the subject. What has gotten into you? Your sister is getting married in three days. I thought you of all people would be happy."

"I am," he nodded. "It's just...I'm also a little sad, I guess," he sighed. "Flo's getting married already and I was wondering where the time went. We're all really growing up..."

Stella's eyes softened. "We're still young, Brand. Maybe the reason you're stressing so much is because we got married when we were too young. C'mon, who gets married at twenty-one and twenty-three?" she said with a smile.

"...True," he hummed before stretching his arms across the couch.

The movie was forgotten soon. For some reason, the brunette seemed really nostalgic about lost time. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair to, hopefully, soothe down.

"Marriage is really beautiful, isn't it?" she asked with a dazzling smile.

"It is," he replied, looking down at her and piercing her eyes with his own. _"Very."_

She brightened at his growing grin. "What's your favorite memory about us?" she chirped.

He thought for a moment before shrugging. "Everything," he said quietly. "I can't imagine not having even one."

She rolled his eyes. _Trust him to say cheesy one-liners._ "But if you had to pick one?" she asked.

"...Your birthday. That's the first time I actually came to see you," he said with a faint trace of smile on his lips. _And it was also t_ _he night they first made love._ It forged their relationship into something so inexplicably precious and deep. She blushed beautifully for him before picking her brain to shy away from the memory for a while, no doubt. "You?" he asked in return.

"...I have two," she smiled.

He nodded, urging her to go on.

"Well, we have a common favorite memory," she smiled to herself. "And the second one is probably when we met again a few months ago."

His eyes flashed in recognition. "The bar?" he asked quizzically. He wouldn't peg that as something "special". Their reunion at the club was less than amicable. It was frosty and cold.

She shook her head. "When you called."

His lips formed into a small 'oh' in understanding. "Hmm," he hummed before growing silent again.

"Are you okay though? You seem really...sad," she frowned, caressing his jaw with her hand, stroking her thumb on his high cheekbone.

He turned to her with a forlorn gaze. "Shouldn't I be happy, Stell? Flora's getting married to my best friend," he exhaled deeply. "She's marrying the best man I know and not to mention they're having a baby soon. I should be happy, right?"

"You are. Of course, you are. You _are_ happy. You're just sad that we're not innocent teenagers anymore," she deduced gently.

He chuckled before the grin disappeared. "I wasn't really an innocent teenager," he retorted with no trace of smile on his lips.

"Well...I was," she shrugged.

"How innocent?" he asked curiously.

"How un-innocent were you?" she retorted in reflection.

"...I experienced all my firsts in my teens," he shrugged.

"I had plenty of my firsts with you," Stella admitted truthfully.

"I know," he quietly said. He held her most significant first. "Any regrets?"

"None," she dreamily sighed. "Well, if you count our fight last year as a regret, then yes. I have that," she shrugged.

He remained quiet before looking away. His thumb pressed against his chin before his index ran ghostly across his bottom lip. She wondered what he was thinking about. But then again, he was always a mystery. _A beautiful, entrancing, yet frustrating mystery._

"Why can't I know about your dad?" Stella suddenly asked, fully aware of what she just said. She'll probably regret it, but she's eager to know! She has been, ever since this man right here threw a tornado in the first family dinner almost an year and half ago.

His eyes widened as he looked down at her sharply. Stella slowly sat up when she saw that whatever emotion he had on display, it was gone. Instead, his eyes darkened to a shade of slate black that she has only seen when they broke up. Nonetheless, she didn't stop. Is this about trust? She had a right to know if he believed her or not. "...Don't you trust me?" she softly asked.

"Why do you want to know?" he said, keeping his voice low, but Stella could definitely detect the building anger.

"I'm curious, I suppose," she softly said, not wanting to ignite him any more than he already is. _Please, no, not again._

She gasped when he grabbed her by her chin. "Curiosity _killed_ the cat," he glared at her angrily before letting her go. His cold, distant eyes sent a bone-chilling shiver down her spine. Her heart sped up slightly and she wondered for a second if...if he'll say something harsh again. He didn't. Instead, he held her gaze before fuming. "This isn't about trust," he said, emotionless. "I didn't really have the most colorful history. _You_ of all people should understand that."

She looked down guiltily. She didn't want to hurt him. She thought maybe talking could help him feel better. Hurt flashed across her eyes. "So...you'll push me away this time too?"

"If there was one thing last year taught me, it was exercise and control, especially on what I say."

She looked up at him again. "I just don't understand why—"

"You don't need to," he cut her off firmly. "You _don't_ need to meddle in something you can't and won't understand."

She let out a deep, shuddering breath. "You're right. I don't understand," she softly said. "But...I _do_ know that you've been angry with Lucas for a long time. I don't know for how long you've been fighting with your dad, but make amends because you don't know what life will do to you." She sighed with unease. "Or to him," she whispered. At least he _has_ parents. He could have _such_ a beautiful relationship with _both_ of them, not just his mom. The only relationship she has with her parents now is through her memories. She envied him in so many ways and the idiot doesn't even realize it.

He looked dead ahead. "...I'll think about it if you visit your parents," he said in a cold, but soft tone.

She stopped fidgeting with her fingers before her head shot up. "Are you blackmailing me?" she asked in incredulity.

He took a deep breath before standing up abruptly. "Aren't you? By accusing me of not trusting you enough?" he accused.

Following suit, she threw her hands up in incredulity at his deluded logic. "Why are you thinking that way? I thought maybe talking could help—"

"Well, it doesn't!" he stated angrily. "I'm not comfortable with it, Stella. I'm not exactly the most talkative person on this planet. And I don't need a shrink."

She looked taken aback. "Shrink? Is that what you think I'm doing?" she scoffed. "Wow. You are _unbelievable,"_ she said with a bite to her tone. It's the same, old story again. If she said something he didn't like, he'll instantly retort by touching something sensitive. "Fine! Don't tell me. Bottle it up for years to come and I'll eventually stop worrying about you and your anger management issues," Stella fumed. He's not the only one who can blow up at people! _He is pretty scary when he does that though..._

"Stella, just because I don't want to talk about it doesn't mean that I don't trust you! You want an answer? How about this? I promised myself I wouldn't tell anyone. I don't believe in 'promises are meant to be broken' thing. They're not," he stated firmly.

Stella stood up with a small scoff. She crossed her arms with narrowed eyes. "Well, for a guy who reminisces over lost time, that's some serious hypocrisy right there."

He sighed. "Stella—" he tried to reason with her.

"Don't talk to me," she grumbled before storming off.

He sighed before standing up to follow her. He didn't want to fight. He wanted, _no,_ he _needed_ her to understand how touchy this subject is for him. Didn't she think that if he wanted to talk, he would've already done it by now? Five years _is_ a _very_ long time and he knew that too! He shook his head when he saw her heading into the kitchen. With irritation, Stella poured herself a glass of water. She turned her head slightly to the side when she heard him come in, but didn't bother to acknowledge. She chugged down the clear liquid before harshly setting the glass down.

Seeing her deliberately ignore him, he sighed before moving to stand just behind her. He placed his hands around her arms, rubbing them up and down slowly. She didn't protest or wince at the contact, thankfully. He turned her towards him before seeing how sad she looked. His eyes softened slightly. He always hated to see her upset.

"What do you want now?" she asked with bitter hurt. He looped his arms around her waist, forcing her to gaze into his eyes.

"Why do you always bring up things that are sensitive for me?" he asked, his voice commanding, yet soft. "Stella...there are some things that I'm not comfortable sharing with anyone."

"Am I really anyone to you?" Stella asked with hurt.

He sighed. _She's not getting it, is she?_ he shook his head. "Okay. Let's sit and talk then," he said. "First, I want you to tell me how _awesome_ it feels to remember your parents."

She gaped at him before looking away in hurt. That hit a nerve. And he could see that.

"You want to cry, don't you?" he observed. "Stella, there are _worse_ things than death, believe me. My intention was not to hurt you, but to help you see things from my perspective. Stella...there was a time I wished I never had a father."

Her eyes widened. "W-What?" she stuttered.

"You heard what I said. I haven't made peace with it yet. Meaning, I'm _NOT_ comfortable with talking about it. If I was okay with it, I would've talked to my mom a long time ago. And we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now." He continued firmly because he did not need a repeat of last year. He didn't want to explain things over and over again to her. "Tell me how amazing it feels to remember Radius and Luna," he pressed.

Tears sprung to her eyes at his words. "How could you say that to me?" she sniffled, hitting his chest.

"Just like you have a tragedy of your own, I have a few too. I lost my entire world, my entire life in the blink of an eye. Like I said, there are worse things. The only difference between you and me is that I don't cry as openly as you do." He sighed. "Look, Stella, I need you to respect this. Don't pressure me; don't ask me. Most likely, you'll end up getting hurt."

She stared at him. _Really?_ She pointed an accusatory finger at him. "That actually sounds controlling and dominating."

He cocked his head to the side. "I'm strangely fine with you using those words," he shrugged before letting out another sigh. "Don't make me angry, Stell," he pleaded. "I can't bear hurting you. Please."

"You actually sound like Christian Grey," she observed, randomly referring to the Fifty Shades trilogy.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not that fucked up, but I am a fucked up man. I don't necessarily feel the need to make you a submissive, but I like to exercise a little control every now and then," he admitted. "Please, Sunshine," he asked. "Please. Don't bring up that topic again."

"But...it's been a long time. You said time can heal any pain," she tried helplessly.

"...I also said that I'll end up saying something to you that you'll never be able to heal. _Don't_ make me go there," he warned her.

"Do you actually feel proud of yourself saying things like that?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "The fact that you're willing to do that is what hurts the most."

His eyes hardened while his patience started to wear off. "Well, the fact that you constantly bring it up despite my insistence not to is what hurts _me_ the most!" he retorted angrily.

"I'm not trying to pressure you," she sniffled. "Don't make me a bad person. I...I can't watch you and your father fight all the time when all I want is for my dad to be at least alive. Please. You said it's been years. I want you to be happy," she said as a tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

He sighed at her logic. He shook his head before kissing her lone tear away. "I _am_ happy. With you," he said before pulling her into a comforting embrace. "Okay, I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to make you cry. I'll...I'll think about it. Okay?" he finished awkwardly. _There's no way in hell he's thinking about this._ Not right now, at least. But if it will get her off his back, then he's willing to sugar-coat it. _For her._

"And that is all I ask," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Don't be upset anymore," he said in a gentle tone.

"I'm not," she said while clearing her face of moisture. It was a temporary point of weakness, that's all.

"You're on vacation and we should be enjoying our time here," he said, earning a nod from her. They silently stood in the kitchen. Brandon warily rested his chin on her shoulder before closing his eyes.

She rubbed his back in comfort. "Hey, Brand?" she piqued after minutes.

"Yes?" he hummed.

"Don't be sad. Your sister isn't going to the moon and never returning. She's just getting her last name changed," she said before a giggle left her lips, effectively shifting the course of topic. _And it worked._

He chuckled. "I know that _very_ well," he chuckled before pulling back, cocking his head towards their own wedding rings.

She grinned. "Not as nearly as I do," she winked, making him laugh again.

"Come on. I think we have a forgotten movie and popcorn in the living room," he smiled, taking her hand. She brightened immediately before following him out of the kitchen.

* * *

 _..._

 _"Mom, dad, this is Skylar but you both already know that," Brandon stammered sheepishly._ _His nerves were way too excited for form a coherent sentence._ _"She's my...she's—" he coughed._

 _"Oh, for Pete's sake," Skylar face-palmed in exasperation. "Heather, Lucas, we're dating," she blurted, making their eyes widen. "Can we all just head to lunch now? I'm starving."_

 _Lucas clapped his hands. "A woman who appreciates food. Son, I totally approve," he appreciatively grinned at this son before turning to Heather. "Feed us, woman," he poked Heather's shoulder, making her laugh._

 _Lucas and Heather headed to the dining room with Skylar and Brandon following close by. Skylar turned to Brandon with a small smirk. "Maybe I'm wrong, but why did your parents look a little too surprised to see me? I mean, I've known you guys for a long time."_

 _"Uh...well..." he coughed sheepishly._

 _"Tell me," Skylar pouted._

 _"Well...you're my first girlfriend," Brandon started. "They've been wanting me to get one since forever. So, all this time, my parents have been secretly thinking that I might be...gay," he shifted uncomfortably. Skylar's face burst into small giggles at his reason before she stood on her toes to kiss him. "Nah, I won't let you turn gay," she smirked._

 _..._

 _"Dad, is there something on your mind?" Brandon asked curiously as the two walked beside each other._

 _"No," Lucas genuinely smiled at him. "Seeing you so happy makes me happy. But there seems to be something on your mind?"_

 _"I love her, dad. I really do," Brandon said with a grin breaking out on his face. "And...I'm planning to ask her to move in with me."_

 _Lucas's eyes widened. "Really? Already? It hasn't even been months since you brought her home."_

 _"I know, but..." the brunette sighed. "I don't know. I just feel like she's ready and maybe I am too."_

 _"You remind me of when I was your age," Lucas smiled wistfully, remembering the day he asked Heather to be his girlfriend. "It was way back in 1989—"_

 _"Dad. Please. You've told me the story a hundred times already," Brandon chuckled, making Lucas follow along._

 _..._

 _"You've been oddly quiet all day," Skylar commented in concern. "Are you okay?"_

 _Brandon nodded and reassured her with a smile. "I know that this is probably fast for us," he started. "But...have you thought about us...I don't know...maybe living together...?" he asked tentatively._

 _Skylar stared at him long and hard._

 _"What? Why are you staring at me like that?" he blinked._

 _"Well, I'm wondering why we're still sitting here when I obviously have so much of shit to pack," she said before giggling._

 _Brandon's eyes widened before he started to grin from his heart. He coiled his hand around her neck to pull her closer before pressing his lips tightly against hers, feeling her smile against his own._

 _..._

 _"Is this necessary?" Brandon complained._

 _"Yes! Very much so!" Skylar smirked as she ran alongside him._

 _"I was on the wrestling, basketball, AND football teams! I don't need additional exercise!" he grumbled._

 _"That was only until we graduated from high school, babe," she chuckled. "We're in college now."_

 _"And here I thought I was gonna get some freedom after moving out," he grumbled while matching pace with her effortlessly._

 _"What? You want a pot belly when you're like thirty?" she asked in astonishment._

 _"No, but I was hoping for some time to have fun for a month or two!" he told her crossly. "I mean, just who in the world wakes up at like five in the morning to go for a jog?!"_

 _"We do," Skylar grinned. "Especially now that we're living together. Any regrets?"_

 _Brandon's unhappy frown turned upside down into a lopsided grin. "None," he smirked. "See if you can keep up," he winked before shooting forward with adrenaline._

 _"You're on," she laughed before picking up her pace._

 _..._

 _"We've been together for about two years now. And I don't know if this is moving too fast or not, but I want you to know that I love you, Sky," Brandon said before kissing her forehead with closed eyes._

 _"I love you too," she murmured, leaning into his touch._

 _He pulled back before letting her hands go and fishing into his pocket. "I've thought about it a LOT and I'm sure about it," he stated confidently as he pulled a burgundy, velvet-soft box._

 _Skylar gasped as her hands flew to cover her mouth in shock._

 _"Meeting you and falling in love with you were my biggest achievements in life. You remind me that there's a light at the end of a tunnel. I love waking up with you, I love seeing your smile, I love your no-nonsense attitude, and I love YOU, Skylar Rose Black, and I will love, cherish, and protect you till my very last breath."_

 _"Will you marry me?" he asked with hopeful eyes before bending on one knee._

 _Skylar's eyes brimmed with tears as she gasped. "YES! YES, YES, AND YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!" she squealed before tackling him to the floor. He grinned like a mad loon before she kissed him passionately, grabbing him by the collar._

 _..._

* * *

 **~ 5:47 AM ~**

Brandon's body shuddered before his dark brown eyes abruptly snapped open. He jerked before wildly looking around him for a sign of Skylar, only to realize that he was in his own home in the...living room? His chest fell and rose rapidly in quick, short successive breaths. His heart thundered in his chest before he felt beads of sweat caress his forehead and a few more trickle down the back of his neck. He sat up with a sharp jolt, glancing around left and right, only to stop when he saw the woman sleeping next to him.

 _Stella._

 _Not Skylar._

His heart slowed into a dull thud when he saw _his_ Stella sleeping obliviously. He glanced around the room and realized that they must've fallen asleep here last night. He eyed the TV screen which still blinked green, but the screen was off, presumably sleeping. He fell back on the L-shaped couch before rubbing his forehead. He panted slightly before turning his eyes towards the blonde. With troubled eyes, his gaze wandered around her face, flickering back and forth between the hand that loosely rested beside her face, showing off a single ring which was the same one he gave her nearly two years ago. Her expression, one of complete peace, stilled his heart and made it beat regularly again.

He leaned over and pressed his lips tightly against Stella's cheek. He wanted to tell her so much and talk to her, but...at the same time, he didn't. Skylar was a beautiful dream for him at one point in his life and their breakup wasn't exactly the best breakup in history. It left him with an insatiable void. He didn't want to share that pain with a girl who's been burdened enough already.

"Sunshine..." he whispered longingly, caressing her hair with his fingers. He sighed to himself before sitting up. He can't stay here anymore. And despite sleeping for less than four to five hours, he cared less for it. He needed some space and he needed it _now._

Within moments, he got up without waking the blonde up. He disappeared into one of the bedrooms downstairs before returning to her with a large comforter in his hands. He draped it over her gently before pulling the head of the couch back into a makeshift bed. He softly patted her head before kissing her forehead. Without a word, he pulled back from her before turning the TV off.

* * *

 ** _Nearly an hour later..._**

 **~ 6:40 AM ~**

His body slick with sweat, Brandon pushed himself forward without stopping to take a much-needed break. Grasping the pull-up bar, he hauled himself up and lowered down in repetitive sets. His pulse hammered against his chest. His breaths coursed high with adrenaline before lifting himself up once more, letting out occasional grunts. His eyes narrowed into troubled frowns as he breathed harshly.

It's been a while since he dreamt about Skylar. _All those memories..._ they just flooded back in repeated flashes. He felt like his brain went on channel surfing. It didn't take a brainer to understand what triggered these lapses.

 _His argument with Stella last night._

 _Why, that nosy little airhead!_ he cursed in his mind angrily. Is there _anything_ that she doesn't meddle in?! He probably told her this ten thousand times already but she _just doesn't_ get it now, does she? They even broke up because of this! How clearer does he have to be!? Why can't she just keep her goddamn mouth shut?!

He jumped off from the bar before landing on the floor, his pulse racing violently with adrenaline. He picked up a white towel from the rack before wiping the excess sweat off. Sweat glistened on his golden-tan skin as it slithered down, forming trails down his chest, collecting beady drops on the way before disappearing in the fold of his track pants. "Damn you, Sunshine," he breathed heavily before grabbing a small water bottle and chugging it down.

* * *

 ** _Another hour later..._**

 **~ 8:00 AM ~**

Brandon descended down the stairs while adjusting his tie at the collar and fastening his cuff links. Sunlight showered its beams into the house. His eyes instantly wandered over to the sleeping blonde in the living room as a golden glow illuminated her face. He sighed to himself, still troubled from this morning's apparitions. He crept silently towards her before placing his suit jacket neatly to the side. Laying down halfway beside her, he stayed with her silently.

Stella stirred when she felt repeated soft pressures on her forehead. She moved around, only to feel her movements restricted. She slowly opened her eyes sleepily. "You're up," Brandon smiled down at her. Stella yawned before rubbing her eyes. She frowned sleepily when she saw him wearing a white formal shirt with dark pants. "You're going to work?" she asked in disappointment. "Today?"

Today's a Saturday and he usually didn't go to work on these days. He usually worked from home. He nodded. "Being away for a solid month has its consequences," he chuckled. "I'll be back sometime in the evening."

"That late?" she frowned.

"Sorry, princess," he said, kissing her cheek in chaste before getting up slowly.

"Will you come home for lunch at least?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. Don't wait up for me if I'm late."

"Wait. Isn't Helia throwing a bachelor party tomorrow?" she asked in confusion. "You'll need rest too!" she protested weakly.

Noticing her thwarting attempts, he chuckled. "Let us _men_ worry about that," he winked. "Alright, I gotta go. Have a good day. Love you," he stood up before bending down to kiss her forehead again.

"Be safe," she waved with a diminished sigh. He smiled at her before disappearing around the door. His wink warmed her till her toes and she found herself grinning like a _moron._ She dreamily fell back on the couch.

The second Brandon turned around, his smile vanished from his face. His eyes remained lackluster and dull.

 _I'm a disaster,_ he grimly thought on his way out.

* * *

 **~ 9:15 AM ~**

Stella slipped into an everyday, casual, icy lavender, lace-sleeved dress before putting on a few accessories and some natural makeup. She picked up a pair of lavender heels. Glancing at herself in one of the full-length mirrors in Brandon's walk-in closet, she smiled in satisfaction before grabbing a pale white clutch and shoving any important possessions outside.

"Crap. I don't have my car," she suddenly realized before eliciting a small sigh. She left hers back in NJ and Brandon drove off to work with his own car.

Stella quickly tapped her phone open before booking an Uber ride. She grabbed her things before making her way out of the house to wait for her ride. Brandon clearly mentioned that he wasn't going to be hone for a while and she didn't know what to do. There was only so much modern technology can do to entertain her.

* * *

 _ **Thirty minutes later...**_

 **~ 9:50 AM ~**

"I'M HOMEEEEEEEE!" Stella shouted before barging through the front door and entering the spacious living room. "Heather, where the hell are you?!"

"Stella!" Heather emerged from the kitchen with an apron slung around her neck.

"Heather!" Stella squealed, running up to hug her _dearest_ mother-in-law. "I missed you so much!"

"Awww, I missed you too, sweetheart," Heather hugged her back enthusiastically.

"Is my mom the only one you missed?" a snide voice erupted from inside the kitchen. Flora came out in a fuchsia-colored, silk nightgown.

"Flora! You're home!" Stella grinned in surprise before giving her a warm hug. "How far are you?!" the blonde grinned like a total loon as she stared at the visible bump.

"Exactly thirty weeks," Flora gleamed proudly while caressing her unborn baby.

"I'm gonna cry," Heather dabbed her eyelids at the exchange. "My baby is havin' a baby," she sniffled. "And getting married. My daughter's gonna leave me soon." Heather started to cry with emotion, leaving Flora and Stella to stare at each other.

"Heather, let her leave," Stella snickered. "I'm here!"

Heather laughed before calming down when Flora gave her a silent hug. "Anyways. Where's Brandon? Where's my son?"

"Work," Stella rolled her eyes. "Where's Lucas?" she asked, looking around.

"Work," Heather snorted, rolling her eyes.

"And Helia?" Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Work," Flora shook her head with a roll of her eyes.

The trio stared at each other before giggling to themselves. _"Men,"_ they shrugged collectively.

"Any plans for today?" Stella asked, following them into the kitchen.

"Just us three, I guess," Flora shrugged. "I have a few errands to run though," she added.

"Can I come with?" Stella asked. "I'm so bored at home."

"Be my guest!" Flora giggled. "We can get the others too if they're free. Let me get ready and we can go," she said before leaving the kitchen.

Stella nodded after her before turning to Heather. "What're you making?" she asked curiously, looking at the batter than Heather's mixing.

"Chocolate chip cookies for my two favorite girls," Heather smiled at her warmly. Noticing her quiet nod, Heather asked casually. "Is everything okay? With you and Brandon?"

Stella sighed. "I think so?"

Heather raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What did he do now?"

Stella giggled. Heather somehow always thought that Brandon was at fault. But the smile went away as soon as the blonde remembered what happened last night. "It's the fact that he doesn't do anything that bothers me. He pushes me away every time I try to get closer to him," Stella admitted sadly. She almost blurted out to ask what went wrong with Lucas and Brandon, but kept her mouth shut. One, if Brandon finds out, he'll go bat-shit crazy. And two, she felt like it's a breach of trust. _Trust that Brandon had in her._

"Give him time, sweetie. You're probably the most patient person I've ever come across. As his mother, I can tell how much of a change you brought in him. Maybe he's not comfortable talking about it. I mean, we both know he's not the most talkative person around here. Give him time. I'm sure he'll come around," Heather said tryingly. Stella blinked when she realized that Brandon said the exact same words yesterday.

 _"I'm not comfortable with it, Stella. I'm not exactly the most talkative person on this planet."_

 _Did I go too far?_ she thought guiltily. _Did I push him too far?_ Stella responded to Heather by simply nodding her head. "Thanks, Heather."

* * *

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 10:40 AM ~**

"So...why are we here again?" Stella asked obliviously before parking the car in the lot of a very familiar building.

"Oh, please. Don't act like you're not excited," Flora smirked from beside her.

The blonde grinned. "Oh, hell no, I _am_ excited."

"I'm gonna talk to dad for a few minutes," Flora said, going the opposite way.

Stella nodded. "I'll meet you there soon," the blonde said before walking down the familiar hallways towards Brandon's room. Stella smiled to herself, recalling a particular conversation she had with him not too long ago. If she wasn't wrong, it was sometime around his birthday.

 _Overlooking the railing, she saw how concentrated he looked in the living room. Nothing was audible except the swift typing of keys by his long, dexterous fingers. She wondered how something as trivial as a mail or document can enrapture his undivided concentration for so long. How does he have the zeal to keep working endlessly and that too without showing signs of discomfort? While she was awed by his devotion to his job, she couldn't help but wonder. Is that all there is to it? Is his job satisfaction the ONLY reason he was devoted so much to it? She didn't really think so, but then again, he never told her why. An enigma. That's who he is._

 _She didn't know how he managed to get enough sleep. Unless he sneaked in a few hours of rest in his office, then she didn't know how this man coped up._ _She checked the time. She wasn't too surprised to see that it was past one in the morning. She was usually asleep by this time. And she had been until she woke up for some reason she can't remember, only to see that he was nowhere to be seen._

 _She slowly descended down the stairs, keeping her eyes on him. "Brandon?" she softly called out, not wanting to disturb him, but also asking for his attention._

 _"Hmm?" he hummed absentmindedly. "Weren't you supposed to be asleep?"_

 _She sat beside him and saw that he was comfortably shirtless, a sight that she enjoyed and loved all too much. "So were you," she simply said._

 _"I'm busy," he said distantly. "If you're gonna stay here, then you need to be quiet," he warned her lowly._

 _"Okay," she obeyed before scooting as close as she possibly can towards him._ _She snuggled into his embrace. "What are you doing?" she curiously asked._

 _"And there it is..." he groaned, sighing at her imminent pestering._

 _"I was only asking a question," she said in a small voice, resting her head on his shoulder._

 _"I'm looking over the performance of this month's compared to last month's. Now buzz off," he said before shaking one of his arms to create more room to type._

 _"Oh," she mumbled. "That sounds very..._ _boring." Just like she has expected it to be. She gasped slightly when he turned towards her. For some reason, she thought he was going to be really ticked off, but instead, he laughed. He laughed!_

 _"It is, Sunshine. It very much is."_

 _"Then why do you do it? Do you really like all this? Attending boring meetings and writing random reports?"_

 _"That's not all I do, but to answer your question, yes, I do," he smiled at her._

 _"Why?" she asked. "I can't imagine you enjoying something that involves so much sitting."_

 _"Believe me, I do enjoy," he smiled wistfully. "It's how I can learn to cope."_

 _"With what?"_

 _He paused for a moment as if he's trying to block some painful memory. "...With life. Every man needs some kind of consistency in life," he explained. "This job does that for me."_

 _"I thought I was consistent," she pouted._

 _He laughed again. Shaking his head in amusement, he placed his laptop to the side. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her, leaving her to hum happily. "You're you," he chuckled, confusing her even more._

 _"Huh?" she pouted in confusion._

 _He chuckled. "Okay. How about this? Other than people, think of something that will always stay in your life. Something you can never let go," he told her._

 _"You?" she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world._

 _He laughed again. "No, baby. Not people. Not me. I don't want to seem materialistic, but think of something that's inanimate. Think of something you can't let go," he gently asked her._

 _She scratched her head, wondering what was so important to her that she can't let go. She can't think of any, to be honest. She stared at him again._ _"This job is that 'something' for you?" she asked curiously, pointing to his laptop._

 _"Yes," he smiled._

 _Oh, good lord,_ Stella breathed deeply as she waltzed back to reality again. She could only _hope_ that his job, a.k.a his little _coping_ mechanism, put him through a good mood. But she didn't know why she was so nervous. He was fine this morning... _was he though?_ she asked herself. She hoped that he didn't lie through his emotions. She stopped just outside his door before knocking on it. She twisted the handle and saw that the door was unlocked. She entered without waiting for a reply.

Instead of him sitting at his usual desk, he was by a shelf with dozens of files shelved neatly inside. His eyes immediately turned to the intruder, ready to give him/her a piece of his mind for entering without permission. His anger died when he saw Stella standing at the doorway. _Yup, he's mad,_ she coughed awkwardly to herself as he just stared at her with little emotion on his face. He shrugged before turning towards the shelf again. "Hey, you," he addressed her while skimming his fingers over the books on the shelf for a specific title.

Stella sighed. "Can we talk?" she said before closing the door behind her. "Do you have a minute?"

"No, actually. I'm busy, Stella. Maybe later," he said airily before swiping a book off the shelf and moving towards his desk.

"Well, I can't wait," she said, grabbing his wrist. She grabbed the book from him before setting it on the desk behind him. He sighed before leaning back against his desk and folding his arms. His suit jacket was slung over his black, leather, revolving chair. His white shirt allowed her to see his rippled muscles. _Focus!_ she scolded herself. She's here to apologize and ogling her husband is quite an inappropriate thing to do right now.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face to get her going. "Well, I'm glad you enjoy the view, but there are a lot of things here that require my attention," he said, cocking his head towards his awaiting desk, papers, and other office-related mumbo-jumbo.

A little color touched her cheeks before she looked at her toes. _Yup. Definitely mad,_ she sighed. "I'm...I'm really sorry about yesterday. I went too far and I shouldn't have," she shook her head guiltily. "I didn't realize that I was making you so uncomfortable. I'm so sorry, Brandon. I'll never pressure you again. I didn't mean to. I wanted you to be happy, but I failed to realize how much I was actually hurting you," she stammered before she cast her eyes down sadly.

He stared at her and listened to her ramble the same thing in about ten different ways. His eyes instantly softened before giving her his hand to take. Her eyes brightened before she looked up at him again. His features started to relax and his body grew less and less tense. She smiled at him before placing her hand on his. Without a word, he pulled her into a hug. "It's fine," he said warmly, pressing his lips into her hair. She hugged him back as a smile grew on her face. He pulled back after a few moments, effortlessly mustering a loving smile for her.

"So...we're good?" she asked tentatively. "You're not mad anymore?"

Brandon winked. "I wasn't lying about being busy though. I didn't come here to escape from you. Just saying," he chuckled, holding his hands up in surrender. "And I wasn't mad, _per se,"_ he shrugged. He wasn't mad at her. He wasn't even upset. Well, he _was,_ but it was a weird and different kind of upset. Like the kind that puts you at unease and makes your stomach churn. His little nightmare this morning just made it all the more worse.

"I was worried that you might've been...irritated," she said, biting her lip nervously.

"Sure. Let's go with that," he shrugged, nodding. "But I'm fine now," he smiled genuinely at her. He figured it was a waste of time to tell her about his...nightmare/memories from last night. There wasn't a use for it anymore. She didn't need to feel anymore guilty than she already did.

"Are you really? So, we're okay?" she asked to make sure.

Brandon softly caressed her cheek with his lips. "Yes and yes," he simpered affectionately. He trailed his eyes down her body and his eyes widened, clearly impressed. She looked just as radiant as ever. "This is a good color on you," he smiled, tugging slightly at the fabric near her shoulder. "Well, my husband loves it when I wear light colors," she grinned. He chuckled before leaning closer to her. Their lips barely touched when there was a sudden knock on the door that interrupted them. He deeply groaned in irritation while she giggled slightly. "I'll get it," Stella smiled. He watched her open the door.

"Hi, Lisa," Stella greeted.

"Stella, hi! A pleasure to see you again," Lisa grinned before giving her a short hug. Her eyes traveled back and forth between the couple. One of them looked...jittery and the other looked downright annoyed. "I can understand why he wanted his meetings cancelled," she wolf-whistled while smirking deviously at Brandon, earning a beet-red blush from the blonde. "While that's cute and all, I'm gonna have to steal him for a hot sec."

Stella's eyes widened. "Yeah, sure! Go ahead!" she squeaked. "And for the record, we were _NOT_ doing anything!" Stella protested as a matter of fact, earning a sly smirk from the brunette. Feeling their amused grins on her, she cleared her throat. "I'm-I'm gonna go," she stammered before collecting her purse and turning to leave.

"Now, where were we?" Lisa smirked, turning to the unfazed brunette. But his eyes were fixated on the blonde.

Stella turned around one last time. "I love you," she mouthed to him before waving to him with a shy smile. His lips stretched into a smile as he watched her leave. _Love you more,_ he chuckled before turning to the patiently-waiting Lisa.

"You both _need_ to get out of the honeymoon phase," Lisa snorted before punching his shoulder. "It makes me wanna get married too."

He chuckled. "Then why the delay? Hank hasn't proposed to you yet?" he eyed her with amusement. "No," she huffed. "He better do it soon or I'll be the one buying him a ring," she rambled, making Brandon laugh. "Anyways. Enough about our love lives. You need to see these," she said, holding out a few papers.

"Alright, what's up?" he said, turning his attention to the documents in her hands. "Oh and by the way," he started. "...Is it possible to un-cancel the cancelled appointments?" he asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lisa glared at him. "You're _soooo_ lucky you're my friend, otherwise I would've roasted you alive for being SUCH a fickle-minded jerk!" she snorted, shoving the papers in his hands before storming out of his room to make a few phone calls. He chuckled to himself. What can he say?

 _He. Felt. GREAT._

* * *

Meanwhile, Stella walked down the hallway to catch up with Flora and Lucas. She smiled to herself, feeling so much better than she did when she came into the building. He always had that effect on her. She was barely in there for two minutes, but it was enough for her to get grinning like a total loon. She didn't like the tense atmosphere when they fought. She wouldn't consider last night a fight. But she felt the need to apologize anyway. And now, he's feeling better. It's amazing how a simple apology can forecast such a cozy feeling. While she was busy thinking/grinning to herself, she failed to watch where she was going.

She gasped when she felt her shoulder slam into someone else's. "I'm so sorry!" the blonde said hastily when a few folders fell scattered to the floor. "Are you okay..." Stella trailed off when she saw _exactly_ whom she bumped into.

 _Skylar Black._

"Oh. Don't be sorry, Stella," Skylar smiled sweetly before picking up the folders. "This is just like déjà vu, isn't it?"

Stella stared at her while blood slowly drained from her face. The irony isn't lost on her. She bumped into this girl the _same, exact_ _day_ she broke up with Brandon. "Skylar," Stella glared at her, barely being able to conceal the emotions.

Skylar laughed to herself. "I guess you finally know now. I understand that you're angry. I can see it all up there," she chuckled, drawing her fingers in multiple circles around her face to emphasize her point. "How about we go into my office and then maybe we can talk like adults," she offered with a devious smirk, _knowing_ that the blonde will accept the offer. From her experience, Stella is very naive, and therefore, very easy to manipulate.

"Fine. We'll talk. Like _adults,"_ Stella glared.

"Adults," Skylar mocked before leading the way.

Before long, the two women were locked behind four walls.

"What do you want?" Stella folded her arms as she watched Skylar shut the door to prevent peeping eavesdroppers. _Not likely,_ but there's no such thing as being too safe.

Skylar turned to her with a sharp glare. Any signs of mockery and satire left her. Her eyes turned icy blue as she glared at Stella in distaste. "What do I want? Well, I want you to leave Brandon. Will you?" she demanded, getting right to the point.

Stella raised an eyebrow. "You mean the way you did?" the blonde asked.

For a second, a deep stab of hurt flashed across Skylar's eyes before they narrowed again. "Don't try to walk through terrains you can't understand," she warned with a threatening hiss.

Stella's nerves itched to rebel at the familiar words. _AGAIN._ Brandon said the same thing yesterday to her. _"You don't need to meddle in something you can't and won't understand."_ What the hell is this? Is fate trying to send a message across to her by having two people say the same things to her at different times?!

Stella scoffed. "You left him on YOUR own, Skylar. Did you honestly expect him to keep rotting in the hell you left him in!?" the blonde glared angrily. This wasn't about the personal issues she had with Skylar. This was about Skylar leaving him and _breaking_ his soul.

"Oh. So he didn't tell you _WHY_ we broke up?!" Skylar glared angrily. Seeing the clueless eyes, she smirked victoriously. "He didn't, did he?"

Stella remained silent at a loss for words.

"Should _I_ tell you then?!" Skylar smirked. "Should _I_ tell you how we break up?"

Stella bit her lip, knowing that she wanted to know more than anything. She knew that somehow, Brandon's hatred for his father stemmed around the same time of his breakup with Skylar. _But..._ the blonde shut her eyes for a second. _I can't. I shouldn't,_ she breathed in and out. She opened her eyes to see Skylar standing there like some kind of a war hero, ready to enlighten people with stories. "No, thank you," Stella gave her a fake smile.

"You're not even the slightest bit curious?" Skylar raised an eyebrow, clearly not having expected this reply.

"Brandon's past is not my concern," Stella stated firmly. "And for the record, I'd rather hear it from him. He's not ready to share that with me. When and _if_ he's ready, he can tell me himself," the blonde said icily.

"You've been together for almost two years, haven't you?" Skylar smirked. "And you're obviously not close with him," she mocked. "See, Stella, Brandon doesn't love you. He just doesn't love you enough. Simple. He just thinks he does."

"Just like you think he's in love with you?" Stella raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

"I _KNOW_ he still loves me!" Skylar suddenly shouted spitefully _(pat on the back for alliteration :P)_. "I was his first _everything!_ And you took him away from me. You'll _NEVER_ be his first," she glared icily.

Stella resisted the urge to shudder slightly at the hatred Skylar burned for her. For some reason, that stung, but she wasn't afraid. "...And you'll never be his last," the blonde stated quietly. Skylar stood there, stunned out of her mind at the reply. And that was when Stella realized that this conversation is over.

Stella moved towards the door. She touched the handle only to be interrupted again.

"I only did what I had to," Skylar stated. "If you're expecting an apology, you're hoping in vain."

"No. I'm not," Stella said curtly, turning to the side. "And I won't."

Skylar blinked, surprised again. "...Why not?"

Stella took a deep breath. "Because I can understand," the blonde said, turning to face Skylar. A flicker of compassion and sadness flashed through Stella's face before she finally turned around and turned the handle, leaving the room.

Skylar stared after her as a lone tear slipped down her cheek, leaving a wet trail down her face. And soon, more tears erupted in her eyes. She whispered something incoherent as the door closed shut before closing her eyes as tears fell down her blackening, makeup-stained cheeks.

* * *

Stella stepped out of Skylar's office and hastily went to the nearest restroom. She set her purse to the side before gripping the counter tightly. She looked at herself in the mirror. What she saw was a startled, brown-eyed, blonde female glancing back just as nervously. "What have I done?" she breathed in and out, touching her forehead. "Oh my god," she covered her mouth in horror. "What if...what if Brandon finds out?" she whispered to herself. If Brandon knows that she had a little chitchat with none other than his crazy ex-girlfriend, he'll probably go all berserk on her.

She checked her watch only for her eyes to widen to the size of saucers. It's _barely_ been twelve minutes since she left Brandon's room. Her stomach churned with discomfort. A part of her felt guilty and the other part didn't know what the hell to do _now._ "Flora," she gasped, suddenly remembering that she was on her way to see the pregnant brunette when Skylar "accidentally bumped" into her. She checked herself in the mirror. Flushed cheeks and widened eyes mirrored her. She took out a dry tissue before dabbing the sweat off her face.

She tried to calm herself, not even understanding why she was so tense. She made a beeline out of the restrooms, knowing that the only way to calm down is to get the hell out of this building.

She dashed left and right, lost in her own frenzy. She gasped again when she felt herself collide against a large build. "Woah!" a familiar voice exclaimed, startled. An arm looped around her waist to steady her. Her eyes widened when she saw Brandon looking down at her. "You okay?" he asked with concern, earning a swift nod from her. "What are you still doing here? Oh and Flora was looking everywhere for you."

Stella tried not to shake. _Why, oh, fate? Why do you hate me so much?_ she prayed. "I-I-I was just leaving!" she stammered, coughing slightly to keep the shake out of her voice.

"Are you okay?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes!" she said before letting out an inaudible gasp. The more she tried not to seem so _jumpy,_ the more unsuccessful she became at it. _Get out of here!_ her conscious screamed at her. "I'm-I'm gonna go," the blonde stammered before freeing herself from him and rushing past him.

Brandon stared after her for awhile. Her gait was way too frenzy and she looked like she was in a hurry. Oh well, he can just ask her later. With a sigh, he proceeded to get on with his next appointment when he stopped suddenly. _Wait a minute._ _Why was she here?_ he asked himself with a raised eyebrow. His eyes narrowed when he realized that Skylar's office was just to the left turn at the end of this hallway. And besides this was in the opposite direction of where Stella had to go.

"Lisa, find out where she's coming from," Brandon asked, following a retreating, lavender-dressed figure with his eyes.

"Seriously?" Lisa raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Seriously," he said, his eyes turning into a suspicious glare. _She better not have...!_ he glared. _Not if she knows what's good for her._

* * *

Stella zipped down the hallways and headed straight to Lucas's room. _Thank god that's over with,_ she breathed in and out before knocking on Lucas's door. Flora opened it within moments.

Immediately, the blonde smiled, seeing how her worries started to wash away. "Hi, Luke," Stella grinned before hugging her father-in-law.

Lucas grinned. "Finally came to see me?" he joked. Flora giggled. "Yeah, we thought for sure you were gonna be with Brandon until someone had to fetch you."

 _Change of plans,_ she tightly smiled. _I had a rendezvous with his ex, instead!_

"You guys keep talking and I'll be right back," Flora smiled before heading out once again. "Being pregnant is not easy," she muttered to herself before making a beeline to the nearest restroom.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 2:00 PM ~**

"Hi, guys!" Stella grinned happily before hugging her best friends, followed by Flora. Bloom and Tecna were already in the condo, waiting for them.

"Girls!" Musa laughed before the six girls got into a group hug. "Awwww, it's been so long!" she gushed, referring to Stella. "What took you guys so long?"

"Well, Flora's finally done taking me to a dozen different places that I have no freaking clue about," Stella groaned, dramatically bending and clutching her back as if she's in pain.

"When you're about to be hitched in two days, you're bound to make some last minute changes," Flora said in a playful, haughty voice. "Take notes, ladies. You all need 'em."

They giggled. "Now that we're all here, let's get this show on the rooaaaddddddd!" Musa went wild with excitement before running to the kitchen and entering the living room again with loads and loads of bags. "Gather around, class!" she clapped, gaining their attention.

"What the hell?!" the girls gaped, especially Flora, to see the bags filled with junk food — chips, crackers, assorted cookies, candy bars, doughnuts, cupcakes, cakes, and pastries.

"There are also four tubs of ice cream in the freezer," Musa smirked wickedly.

Layla blinked, obviously not having expected this. "Did you buy all this?" she asked in wonder.

"I'll have to hit the gym for an year _at least_ to lose this!" Stella exclaimed in horror, earning a concurring nod from Bloom.

"Oh wait. I forgot," Musa said.

"You forgot something too?!" Tecna said in disapproval, immediately peering at the nutritional labels of junk food to mentally calculate the number of overall calories.

"Duh!" Musa returned with a few boxes and plates. "She can't have all this, obviously!" she said, pointing to Flora. Obviously, Flora is pregnant and she can't have unhealthy food.

"Heh. What do you know? There's a brain in there after all," Tecna snickered, earning a glare from Musa and a fit of giggles from the others.

"You cruel witches. You're gonna eat all of them in front of me?" Flora whined before pouting at the boxes containing lean white chicken, Caesar salad, sauteed cauliflower, vegetable soup, and cut fruits. "I don't even have anything fun in there," she grumbled.

"Oh, there's a special dessert for you in there as well," Musa pointed towards the freezer.

"Sugar-free ice cream?" Flora said with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Yogurt," she snickered, earning a glare from Flora and giggles from the rest.

Musa clapped her hands as the rest of them made themselves at home, tearing out a bag of chips and cookies from the food stash. "Now for the next step! Sappy moviesss!" she shrieked, turning the TV on before switching the lights off and dimming the apartment.

* * *

 _ **A couple of hours later...**_

 **~ Shields' Corporations - 5:15 PM ~**

While the girls entertained themselves with their own, cozy bachelorette party, Brandon just emerged from one of his long, drawn-out meetings. He wasn't able to fully focus and thank god he didn't really have to. He just had to sit through a couple 30-minute proposals and presentations. His mind was actually preoccupied with something else. _Did she...?_ he continued to think, just like he had been for the past three hours. It seems like such a faraway possibility, but her reactions betrayed her body. She was way too frenzy for his liking. And instead of being elated to see him like she usually is, she looked almost... _terrified._

Seated at his desk, he rested his elbows on the polished wood before resting his chin on his intertwined hands. He took a huge breath, hoping that wasn't the case. His heart beat at an irregular pace while his stomach flopped, wobbled, and twisted upon itself in an inconsistent flux. _What did you do, Stell?_ he thought, feeling a deep sense of treachery. For her sake, he _hoped_ and _prayed_ that she just went to the restroom or wherever. _Anywhere but THERE._

He looked up, startled, when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he said quietly, knowing who was on the other side. Lisa opened the door solemnly and closed the door behind her. Judging from her uneasy expression, he knew. He knew the answer. He _knew_ she would say that Stella went to Skylar, but he really hoped that Stella didn't go to Skylar.

"You asked about Stella's whereabouts," Lisa shifted uncomfortably. "She...um...she was with Skylar."

Hearing those words, his body went slack. Any emotion he had on display till now vanished without a trace. And just like that, something deep inside of him stirred awake. Something dark, ghoulish, and _twisted_ rose awake. His pupils dilated into burning, red, tenebrous flames. "Okay. Thank you," he said, his voice emotionless. She nodded uneasily before turning to leave. "Lisa. Forward all of my appointments for today and tomorrow," he ordered darkly. "I won't be in the office."

"But—" Lisa protested, turning around. She instantly stopped when she saw the _don't-you-dare-question-me-right-now_ glare on his face. "Okay." She instantly scurried away. She can bear her boss's tantrums, but this was no tantrum. This was _anger._ And not the kind that can be subdued easily. She only hoped that it's not as bad as she had imagined, but little did she know that it's _worse_ than what's running through her mind.

He barely paid heed to the door automatically closing. A burning animosity rooted in his already flaming eyes as he instantly stood up. His fiery gaze was enough to turn anything into a worse, incorrigible state than ash. _You made a BIG mistake,_ he growled before standing up immediately.

* * *

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo - 7:00 PM ~**

"I'm so ready to get hitched," Musa sniffled as she kept her eyes on the tragically romantic scene unfolding before them on the TV. The girls agreed unanimously. _Who the hell isn't!?_

Stella's eyes stained with tears just the same as she watched, completely engrossed in the movie.

Just then, someone's phone started to buzz. "Ugh, who is it now?" Musa grumbled when she saw that it was her phone. She raised a quizzical eyebrow when she saw the caller ID being displayed as _...Brandon...?_ Shrugging, she lifted the call before placing the phone beside her ear. "Hey, Brandon. What's up?" she answered.

At the sound of his name, Stella's ears perked up before an unsettling feeling crept into her stomach. She stopped eating and turned to Musa with wide eyes. _Does he know...?_ she gulped. Her blatant fear paralyzed her spine while her breaths came out shallow and irregular.

Musa turned to Stella. "Yeah, she's here...okay, one sec," she paused before handing the phone to Stella. "It's for you."

Stella bit her lip before taking the phone with shaky fingers. She held it to her ear before standing up and going into Musa's bedroom. The girls were too occupied with the movie to even realize what was going on. _Thank god for that._

"H-Hello?" Stella answered after closing the door for some privacy.

"...Where were you?" a quiet, yet furious voice came through, sending blood-chilling shivers down her spine.

"Why?" she asked nervously.

"Why the hell weren't you answering your phone?! Where the hell were you?!" a completely pissed off voice glared into the phone.

 _My phone? It's right here—_ she paused instantly when she realized that it was stowed away safely in her purse. With a panicked gasp, she instantly slipped out of the room and grabbed her purse in the living room before returning to the bedroom once more. She hastily pulled her phone out before switching it on. She nearly fainted at what awaited her.

 _29 missed calls, 59 unread texts_

Stella cursed herself when she saw that her phone was completely on silent. She had turned the ringer off earlier when she and Flora pulled up at the company. _Oh boy, I'm screwed!_ she cursed mentally, slapping herself on the forehead for her careless mistake. Had she known earlier, she definitely would've returned. "I'm w-with the girls," she answered meekly.

"Come the fuck home. _Now."_

 _Shit,_ she gulped. "Why? Is everything okay?" she tried to play it cool. "Are...y-you okay...?"

"I don't know, Stella, but maybe you can help," he glared, sarcasm _dripping_ from his tone. "I'm debating on whether or not I should beat the living shit out of you. How's _that_ for an answer?!" he shouted, his voice growing louder by the second. "Get the fuck home now or I swear I'll fucking drag you out of there myself. You have ten minutes," he growled into the phone before abruptly cutting the call off.

Stella gasped. Pulling it away from her ear, she stared at the device as it beeped continuously before returning to the home screen. Her stomach churned, wobbled, and toppled upon itself. Her body grew hotter. Her chest became tighter as her breaths turned shallow, exhaling more than inhaling. Sweat pooled onto her forehead and lingered near her collar.

With a shaky breath, she opened the door. She needed to leave. She was gonna have a panic attack. Her skin paled and she felt downright queasy. She went to the living room before poking her friend. "Musa," Stella said, not wanting to attract everyone's attention.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Musa asked in concern.

The blonde nodded while giving a reassuring smile. "Yeah, everything's okay. I need to go."

Musa's eyes widened. "Are you serious?! No way! It's Flora's party!"

At this point, the other four paused the movie and turned to the commotion. "You're leaving?" Flora frowned.

Stella felt guilty. She really did. This will be the last day they can get together before Flora's big day. The blonde bit her lip, thinking. For one, Brandon will be _pissed_ if she came home any later than he expected her to. And second, if she left, Flora's disappointment can't be measured.

"You know what? I change my mind. Brandon can _totally_ wait," Stella said with a beaming smile. _And it's not like I did anything wrong,_ she mentally scowled at him. _He's pissed off for nothing._

"There we goooo! Alright, play the movie, people!" Musa hollered while cheering. They chuckled and soon, everyone went back to their business. _That is,_ everyone _except_ for Stella.

Stella relaxed on a bean bag, pretending like everything's fine when she knows that it's not. This is the first time she deliberately _chose_ to ignore Brandon. She felt horrible, but then why did she have to? He sounded like he wanted to strangle her alive. But why? She didn't do anything wrong. _I barely spent five minutes with her,_ she shook her head with a sigh. She didn't, _correction,_ she _shouldn't_ have to be afraid of anything. If anything, she upheld his trust. Skylar did offer to tell, but Stella refused. _Jeez, what more does he want?_ Stella bit her lip. Nonetheless, she was still scared of his outbursts. He wasn't a man to be messed with when he's angry. And right now, he's more than angry. This will definitely piss him off.

Biting her lip, she typed him a text.

 _I'll be home in a few hours. Okay? And don't call the others to get to me._

She hit 'send' quickly before she could change her mind. She winced when she felt her phone screaming a vibration just as instantly.

 _WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!_

Stella's stomach churned with unease. She could just imagine him going livid. She felt panicked and scared down to her core. She pretended that she wasn't threatened or afraid of him before shooting him another quick text.

 _I'm not coming. Not until you calm down._

With hasty retaliation, she cut the phone off and stashed it away in her purse before turning to the TV. She tried her _best_ to watch the movie, but she couldn't. _Not with what's weighing down on her mind._

Her smiles grew shorter while her silence grew longer.

 _Please let him be okay,_ she prayed sadly.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's Home - 11:15 PM ~**

After Flora dropped her off, Stella stared at the marble-white mansion. She took her phone before switching the screen on. She didn't see anymore missed calls or texts after the last text she sent. _Oh my god, he's pissed,_ she trembled weakly. She instantly regretted not being home sooner because she can't imagine the wrath he's about to unleash.

She shivered involuntarily when she saw his car gleaming spotlessly under the moon's splendor. She climbed up the porch before taking out her keys from her purse. With shaking fingers, she tentatively opened the lock before pushing the door inwards gently. The door squeaked very slightly, but to her, it felt like blaring. Every little sound, no matter how small or insignificant, stood out to her. The house was sinfully silent, almost to the point where one could compare its quietude with abandoning. But it wasn't abandoned. _Far from it, actually._ She knew that he was home. He was waiting for her.

She closed the door gently behind her before taking her heels off and setting her purse off to the side. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her senses. He told her to be home in ten minutes, but she took four hours! _Yup, she's about to get screwed._ She sighed and took off her coat slowly and painfully. She took her time to hopefully put off the imminent conversation that's due to happen in a few minutes. She did things that did not need any doing.

She peeped around, wondering if he'll just pop up out of nowhere and scare her half to death. She tentatively deduced that he was _probably_ in their bedroom. With shaking nerves, she crossed the living room and climbed upstairs slowly, step by step. She stopped at the top stairs for a long moment. The upstairs corridors were devoid of any light. All that remained was a faint, dull emission from underneath the closed master bedroom. _Just like she had anticipated._ She bit her lip and slowly treaded on the soft carpet, feeling the acrylic carpet fibers tickle her soles. She slowly twisted the knob and opened the door fully before a loud gasp escaped from the base of her throat.

The room was in a _hopeless_ state of disarray. There was broken glass on the carpet. Porcelain rose vases were violently shattered across the wall and their broken shards were messily displaced around the room. Papers were flown everywhere and files were scattered across the room. Even the bed wasn't left untouched. She gasped at the state of the pillows. They were ripped and torn apart, letting the cotton stuffing on the inside ooze out.

She stepped into the room but instantly stopped again. Her blood ran cold when she eyed the floor near the bathroom. She let out a loud gasp when she saw blood stains on Brandon's dress shirt and a messy trail of hot red on the carpet that disappeared into the bathroom. Her face lost all color while her heart screamed in shock.

"BRANDON!?" she screamed involuntarily in fear, running towards the bathroom.

At the sound of his name, the door to the bathroom instantly flung open, scaring her to death. She nearly fainted in horror when she saw his right arm covered with thick, pulsing, hot-red blood. More than the blood, the furious wrath that flamed from his coal-dark eyes terrified her to her core. Her body started to freeze. Her feet were entrenched within the concrete, her throat grew dry, and her stomach catapulted into oblivious. Even though her brain screamed for her to run, her body stayed put. Genuinely afraid of him, her breaths grew shallow.

" _FINALLY REMEMBERED ME?"_ he hissed with a twisted glint in his eye. His hands transformed into fists and shook visibly, just waiting and waiting to punch the life out of something. _ANYTHING._ Her knees grew weak when he eyed her with hate. "LEAVE, STELLA. _NOW._ OR I SWEAR TO GOD...!" he glared at her, his hands threatening to punch _her_ instead of something inanimate.

His rising voice was what caused her to snap out of her stilled, frozen stance. "Your a-arm," she squeaked in horror, staring at it with terror. _Did he hurt himself?_ she thought, her eyes meeting his fury-stricken ones. His body was practically shaking with livid anger. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "No!" she cried out before rushing to his bleeding hand. "Your hand! It's bleeding—!" she tried to grab it before he flinched aggressively.

"SHUT UP!" his voice shattered through the walls, making her jump and scream in surprise. He slammed her against the wall. "What the _HELL_ were you thinking?!" he growled, slamming his hands to the sides of her head in a murderous rage.

"About w-what?" she stuttered, trying her best to maintain her gaze. She gasped when his fingers grasped a tight fistful of her hair.

"STELLA, DON'T FUCKING TEST ME RIGHT NOW," he snapped with a death glare. "That fucking apology this morning?!" he reminded her with _spite._ "That apology was just to make yourself feel better and then go behind my back?! Is that why you came?!"

 _Did he just say that?!_ Her jaw dropped at his accusation. " _EXCUSE ME?"_ she said angrily _finally_ growing some balls to do so. "Listen here, you _MORON,_ you have some _nerve_ to accuse me of that," she shouted back with fire blazing in her eyes. He glared at her, his lips twitching slightly in a thin line. _Man, if looks could kill, I'd be long dead,_ she nervously thought to herself.

She looked at his bleeding arm and saw that the source of injury was actually the _back_ of his hand. Every time he lifted his arm up, messy trails of red would trickle down his forearm and towards his elbow. "What did you do to yourself?!" she cried out in horror, grabbing his collar.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shouted and pushed her away as if her touch is lava. She gasped when she saw blood smearing off from his hand and transfer to her dress.

She glared. "Well, your hand is bleeding!" she shouted in retaliation, grabbing his arm again and dragging him into the bathroom. She gasped loudly when she saw that the mirror in the bathroom was shattered violently. It looked as if it was punched repeatedly. There was blood on the mirror, on the sink, and even on the floor. The edges of the broken mirror were lined with his blood.

She turned to him and glared. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she scolded harshly before pushing him towards the tub and shoving his hand underneath pressured streams of lukewarm water in the tub. She winced when she saw a deep pool of red swirling in little whirlpools before finally disappearing into the drain. Sighing, she made him sit on the edge of the tub before she went to raid the cabinets for first-aid. She watched him out of the corner of her eye and saw that his eyes were fixated on the hand that he injured himself with.

A white box with a red plus inside of a red circle appeared and she hastily took it out. She went to him before crouching in front of him. Opening the first-aid kit, she set out a disinfectant and a fresh bandage. She reached to touch his bleeding hand shakily before gently washing some of the dried blood away. He winced at her touch but didn't comment. His ability to surprisingly listen to her sometimes is splendid. She didn't understand him sometimes, but who the hell cared as long as he listened!? The wound was fresh. _Did he hurt himself when he realized that I came?_ she asked herself. Her heart shivered at the sight but not that he would understand it, of course!

She took out a few cotton swabs before dabbing disinfectant on it. Taking his hand and turning it over, she eyed the injury carefully. There doesn't seem to be any glass lodged into his hand. _Thank god,_ she breathed shakily. She winced when the cotton swabs coated themselves with fresh blood. She let go of them as if they were pools of acid. With shaking fingers, she gently wrapped a fresh bandage around his palm, barely feeling the tears trickle down her eyes. _How can he do this?_ she sniffled, not really noticing her blurring vision. She hastily wiped away the tears before making sure that his injury is dealt with. "You're the biggest idiot I've ever seen," she sniffled, oblivious to the piercing gaze he had on her as she tended to his wound. "How could you just hurt yourself?"

She gasped when he snatched his hand away and stood up sharply. "Well, it's _nothing_ compared to the blow you've given me," he spat, giving her a murderous glare.

"Are you kidding me?!" she asked incredulously before standing up to match his stance. "What did I do to you?!" Stella hissed.

"You know what you did," he said before making a move to bolt outta there, lest he try to channel his anger physically on her.

"No. You're not leaving," she hissed, grabbing his arm.

"Don't touch me," he growled, flinching away from her.

She glared at him. "I will. And you'll have to physically hurt me to get me off of you."

"Yeah, don't think I won't," he growled while his fists itched.

"Then do it," she challenged firmly. "You're obviously pissed off. That anger needs to go _somewhere."_

"I'm pissed off?! And you can't tell why?! You fucking went behind my back and to do what? To meet my ex, that's what!" he yelled angrily.

"Well, I didn't do anything wrong!" Stella yelled just as angrily. "She's upset too, Brandon—"

He interrupted her with a murderous glare. "Now _you_ listen here, you _fucking_ _moron,_ I don't need you to tell me how my ex is feeling. Got it?!" he yelled. "I can't...I can't believe you'd do this to me," he glared randomly before his chest fell and rose breathlessly.

Stella threw up her hands in surrender. "Do WHAT to you?! Tell me, Dr. Brandon Shields. What did I do to you, Your Majesty? I haven't realized _till now_ that I need your goddamn permission for everything I do!" she screeched like a raging harpy.

His eyes locked with hers as he leaned in a few breaths closer. "And I haven't realized that you're a backstabbing, fucking _bitch_ till now," he glared angrily at her with burning red eyes.

Stella froze. Her eyes widened as a low gasp left her throat. Tears sprung to her eyes at what he just called her. A _bitch._ That's what he called her. The last time he did that, they broke up and didn't speak to each other for a whole year. Tears trickled down her cheeks as she stared at him in defeated silence at a loss for words.

He pressed on mercilessly as his heart burned with the abhorring sting of betrayal. "If you had thought about me at least _ONCE,_ at least _ONCE,_ then you wouldn't have gone behind my back," he hissed. "Till date, I've _never_ secretly met her because I knew that if I did, you would be shattered," he said, his eyes finally showing the emotions he's been masking till now. A thin layer of glistening tears covered his cornea before he stepped away from her.

He stepped away from her instantly before turning around to leave. Stella's eyes shed tears. She tried so hard to wake up from this nightmare. "B-Brandon, wait!" she choked out helplessly before running after him. "Please wait!" she cried but he didn't stop. He didn't even turn around or at least give her the slightest hint of acknowledgement. In her haste to stop him, she tripped over her foot. She hissed when she felt something sharp scrape across her foot, making her tumble clumsily over her footing. He let out a surprised grunt when she crashed into his back.

Glaring, he turned around to give her a _leave-me-the-hell-alone_ look when he saw sadness and pain flash across her face. His eyes narrowed subtly in confusion. He followed her gaze to the floor. He blinked in horror when he saw little drops of blood accumulating on the side of her foot. "Are you kidding me right now?" he glared at her. He bent before examining her injury. Today was _not_ their day. _Clearly._ "You've got to be joking," he hissed at the new nuisance. His eyes darted over to a piece of glass a foot or so away. The tips of it had stains of her pain. The glass obviously came from the million things he shattered today.

"Alright, come on," he grumbled, grabbing her arm.

"I'm fine," she sniffled.

"Of course you are," he snapped, telling her to shut up before pulling her towards the bathroom.

She winced when her foot throbbed with each pressure she applied into walking. He turned towards her. "This doesn't change shit between us," he warned in advanced before picking her up bridal-style. He stared ahead, _refusing_ to glance at her. She sniffled as he carried her to the bathroom.

"B-Brandon—" she tried to protest when he set her down at the edge of the tub like she did to him a few minutes ago.

"Don't talk to me," he glared, silencing her. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to, so _SHUT._ _UP._ "

She winced at his tone. "Where are you going?"

She whimpered in surprise when he suddenly grabbed her hair. "What part of shut up didn't you understand?!" he glared angrily, his eyes burning with tints of harsh red.

He turned the water on to a cool level, letting the blood wash off while he took out the medication. She sniffled when he took her foot out to examine the wound. It was a thin gash, but still. It'll hurt more tomorrow and the few days after. He took out a fresh set of bandage and a small bottle of disinfectant. He dabbed some of the liquid onto cotton before applying pressure to her wound. She winced slightly and jerked her foot in surprise.

"Stop moving!" he harshly reprimanded.

Tears stung her eyes. She could literally feel the anger come off of him in waves. She understood that he was angry, but what she didn't understand was that _why_ he's insistent on not listening to her? As if that wasn't enough, she had _THIS?_ A clumsy injury?!

She spoke up after staying silent for less than a moment. "Stop," she hiccuped. "I'd rather be hurt than have you hate me like this."

He stared at her for a second before dropping everything in his hand. "Fine then," he snapped without further questions and stood up. "I'm leaving," he glared.

Stella watched helplessly as he turned around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door loudly on the way.

A few minutes later, her face turned towards the window when she heard a car start before driving off into the night.

* * *

 **~ 1:30 AM ~**

Brandon pulled up into the driveway, feeling that familiar feeling of irritation, bitter anger, and sting of betrayal course through his body. He thought leaving might help, but _no._ Those feelings of freedom _vanished_ the second he pulled up into his stupid house.

He slammed the car door shut testily before locking it. He made his way inside the home before stopping abruptly in the living room. _Wait._ What if she's not here? He growled, just the thought alone enough to make his blood boil. _I swear to god..._ he threatened her mentally. She had a habit of running away, a habit he absolutely _loathed_ at times like these. Without a care, he hopped upstairs, taking two and three steps at a time. He stormed into the master bedroom, half expecting to not see her there.

He stopped instantly when he saw her curled up uncomfortably on the bed with her injured foot dangling out. He walked closer to her and saw that she was sleeping. From the dried tear stains and slightly chapped lips, he guessed that she must've exhaustively cried herself to sleep. She slept with her phone beside her, hoping that he'll return the dozen calls she sent his way.

Eyeing her body, he noted her dress had dried blood. He hadn't noticed it earlier. His injured hand prints must've stained her dress, the _same_ dress he complimented her on this morning. He glanced at his own bandaged hand before letting his eyes travel back to her foot. He sat at the edge of the bed and gently touched her foot before examining her injury closely. She didn't even bother taking care of it herself. He withdrew his hand only to see her smears of her blood on his hands. With haste, he stood up immediately and crept towards the bathroom. He washed off the blood as it was lava before splashing cold water across his face. He checked himself in the mirror and saw how tired and restless he appeared. Glancing back at the sleeping blonde, for some unknown, his eyes softened incredibly before he raided the cabinets for the first-aid. He saw that the box was left beside the tub, in the same place he left it. He took it and went back to her again.

Noiselessly sitting at the edge of the bed, he held her foot before placing it in his lap. Gently cleaning the blood away with soft, wet swabs, he dried her foot. Taking out a fresh bandage, he wrapped it around her foot with care, letting it travel around her foot and ankle for support. He packed the box away before placing it on the floor. He gently stroked her injury, watching her with pained eyes. He bent before pressing his lips against her ankle. With a sigh, he let it go and stood up, letting her sleep.

He eyed the room and winced at the chaotic mess around it. This room used to remind him of paradise. All the memories of him and her staying awake at night to talk about the most random topics in the world, the nights they chose to indulge into each other passionately, and the quiet, lingering talks afterwards...

All of those memories rushed to his mind and that made it all the more painful for him. And now, this room resembled a nightmare. Turning to her, he watched her with pain. "Why? Why did you do that? Didn't you think of me at all?" he whispered with hurt eyes while brushing a few bangs out of her eyes.

With a hushed sigh, he went around the room and picked up the glass pieces to make sure she doesn't get hurt again. Throwing them in the bin, he went back to her again. This face had such a profound effect on him. Only she wielded the power to make him feel emotions he never knew he was capable of feeling. But now...all she did was remind him of how stupid and how much of a mess he is.

 _Was she really at fault?_ He dismissed the thought. Of course she is. It's her fault. He told her. He told her to leave his past alone. She didn't. Instead, she went out of her way and walked on the things that shattered his soul a long time ago. Brushing a few bangs out of her eyes, he bent and kissed her forehead gently. "Wake up, so I can be mad at you," he murmured in a trance. Without a word, he picked her up in his arms before leaving the room and walking down the stairs.

He watched the movement stir her. She opened her eyes and rubbed her with a yawn. She instantly yelped in horror when she saw herself hovering in the air. He had to suppress an amused smile at her imagination. She blinked when she realized that he's the one carrying her.

Tears filled her eyes when she saw him again. "You came back," she sniffled as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

He cruised over to her room before he walked to the bed. "A temporary thing, mind you," he said quite coldly before gently setting her down on the mattress.

She stood up again, startling him.

"You're hurt. You should take rest," he said calmly with a twinge of comfort in his eyes.

 _As if she gave a flip about that!_

She sniffled. "Please, Brandon. Please don't hate me. I really didn't do anything. I promise. I swear!"

He stayed quiet and let out a deep breath. He lifted her face by her chin. "...Then why? Why did you go? I told you stay away from my past," he said quietly.

"I did!" she cried. "S-She told me that she'll tell, but I didn't ask her!" she sobbed.

He raised an eyebrow. "...Really?" he asked her with skepticism.

She vigorously bobbed her head up and down.

He stared at her. "...I need time," he said quietly. "Take care of that foot. And don't go upstairs yet. You'll get hurt," he said, referring to any glass that he may have overlooked. He turned around to leave when her next words stopped him in his tracks.

"Are we breaking up?" Stella sobbed.

He didn't reply for a long moment. "I need time," he said coherently. "...Get some sleep. Good night."

"Why do you need time?! Talk to me!"

He sighed before turning his head to the side. "There's nothing to talk about. You said your part. And I've said mine. We need some time apart from each other. I'll...I'll see you at the wedding, okay? I'll be at my mom's in the meantime."

"...You're leaving me? Because I talked to Skylar for less than five minutes?" she asked with incredible confusion and heartbreak. "Because of that?" She continued. "Brandon, please. Please don't," she said with heartbreak. "Don't run. Don't damage us."

He raised an eyebrow before scoffing. His entire demeanor shifted to anger when she accused him of 'damaging'. _Is she kidding me?_ he growled.

"Stella, you're the one who damaged us!" he yelled sharply, turning around with blazing eyes and silencing her instantly with his outburst. "Do you have _ANY_ idea of what could've happened?" he asked with tearful eyes. "You want to talk? Let's talk," he snapped. "Where the _hell_ were you when I left you thirty missed calls?! Oh wait! I know! You were at your precious little sleepover," he mocked with bitter anger. "...You didn't even care. You stayed back. You abandoned me and my feelings for hours straight. I would _never_ do that to you. All you had to do was say the word and I'll drop everything to run to you. But you? You broke my trust and my sanity at once. And all for what? To watch a movie?" he said with hurt. " _That's_ what hurts me the most. Your negligence even when you _knew_ how pissed off I was."

She stared at him with widened eyes as he breathed with adrenaline.

"How's _THAT_ for talking?" he coldly said, leaving her frozen. "So, to answer your question, _no._ That's not why I'm leaving," he shook his head. "I'm leaving because what _could've_ happened because of _YOU,"_ he said, pointing a finger at her. He took a few steps towards her, earning a startled gasp from her. Taking a hold of her chin, his eyes mimicked the same amount of pain she radiated, only _darker_. "How could you do this to me?" he whispered as a lone tear slipped down his cheek.

"B-Brandon," her voice cracked with ashamed eyes. "I-I'm so sorry—"

"Don't," he held up his hand. "Like I said, I need to be alone," he said coldly.

In an instant, he let her go and within a flash, he was out of sight.

Stella numbly stared after him. Only after hearing the front door close again, did she accept that this was really happening. She crumbled at his last words. He wasn't just hurt.

 _He looked...broken._

 _Terrified, almost._

A choked sob left her lips as she fell to the floor.

 _And she's the reason for it._

* * *

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's Home - 2:15 AM ~**

Brandon pinged his mom, hoping that she'll wake up and let him in. To his surprise, the door clicked in response within moments and it opened, revealing a very much wide-awake Heather.

"You're not asleep yet?" he asked, knowing that his parents usually slept early.

"Not today," Heather smiled wistfully.

"Oh," he shrugged. "Can I come in?"

"You don't have to ask, sweetie. Of course you can," Heather said with a smile before moving aside to let him in. "Where's Stella? Did you come alone?" she asked curiously before closing the door.

He didn't say anything. Instead, he flopped on the sofas in the living room with a tired groan. Heather followed him and sat on the opposite side of him. She picked up a drink from the table before them and started to sip on it casually.

"Pour me a glass too," he sighed before throwing his head back tiredly.

"I thought you said you'd never drink again," Heather commented.

"So did you," he said dryly.

"Touché," she shrugged before getting up to get a glass for him. She returned from the kitchen after moments before seating herself on the opposite side of him. She poured him a glass of champagne and handed it to him.

He drank a large gulp and coughed slightly. "Must be losing my touch," he noticed at how pungently distant it tasted in his mouth.

"Are you okay?" Heather asked in concern.

"Nope," he said frankly before chugging down another gulp.

Heather's eyes widened when he furiously downed the entire drink, letting the alcohol corrupt his body. When he reached for the bottle again, Heather grabbed it and held it out of reach. "Brandon," Heather said sternly. "Stop, that's enough."

"It's just one glass, mom," he said testily before motioning his hand for her to give the bottle to him.

"I can't take that risk. Not with you," she snapped, resisting the urge to snort. "What's wrong?" she asked with a concerned glare.

"Nothing," he grumbled. "What about you? What's wrong with you? Why are you drinking?"

Heather sighed, realizing he turned the tables on her. "...My baby is getting married. I can't sleep," she sighed. "I was wondering where the time went."

"What's so huge about marriage?" he snorted carelessly. "It's a waste of time."

Heather raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Need I remind you that you're married as well," she said with a pointed look.

Brandon looked up with a sigh, sadness cracking onto his face. "What's the point? All we do is fight all the damn time," he said with a twinge of anger into his tone.

Heather remained silent, not knowing what to say. _Is that why he's here?_ she wondered. As far as she was concerned, he rarely came home. But tonight...and that too _after_ midnight...something must've happened between them in order for him to randomly show up here. Her eyes narrowed with concern when she saw that he was close to crying.

"Wait. What happened to your hand?!" Heather suddenly noticed the white bandage around his right hand and the red underneath it.

He ignored the question. Tears stained his eyes. "I love her, mom," he said before a tear slipped down her cheek. "Why doesn't she understand that?" he said, hastily covering his eyes.

Heather stood up instantly, abandoning her drink, before going over to his side. "What are you talking about?" she asked in confusion. "Did you and Stella fight again?"

His tears gave away the answer. "She's...she's worth so much to me, mom," he cried with his face in his hands. "Why can't she understand that?!" he questioned with pain.

"What are you talking about? Of course she does. She loves you—" Heather protested in confusion.

"No. She doesn't," he declared. "If she did, she wouldn't have gone there," he sniffled.

"Where? Gone where?" she pressed.

"She went to see Skylar," he cried.

Heather froze instantly. She blinked rapidly. She hasn't heard that name in _years._ "W-What? How? How does she even know?"

That's when Brandon realized that no one in his family knew about Skylar's employment, _EXCEPT his father._ "...Skylar works for me. She joined about two months ago," he said quietly.

"WHAT?! And you're JUST telling me this?!" Heather screeched lividly.

"Well, excuse me for thinking I can handle it on my own!" he fired back but instantly regretted his tone when hurt flashed across his mother's eyes. "...I'm-I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you," he sighed.

"...Do you snap often?" she asked gently, rubbing his back.

He didn't respond.

"So Stella met Skylar. So what?"

"What do you mean 'so what'?!" he asked incredulously. "Shouldn't she ask me first?! But no! That idiot has to go behind my back and then lie about it and totally ignore me when I confront her!"

Heather sighed. "Really? Is that what this is really about? Look, sweetheart, I know Stella makes mistakes but then again, so do you. That's what a relationship is about. You make mistakes and you grow from them. Yelling and throwing things will just make things worse. Does this have something to do with your hand?"

"...I may or may not have punched a mirror," he said, leaving Heather to glare.

"What is wrong with you?!" she hissed.

"...That's what she said. Is there really something wrong with me? I feel like she betrayed me by not trusting me enough," Brandon said, his eyes leaking a few tears. "I've been so patient with her when Radius and Luna died. But now...it's like she can't do the same for me."

"Why would you think that?" Heather said gently, rubbing his back for comfort. "Did you even ask her? Or did you deal with the issue like you always do by breaking things?" she asked dryly.

Brandon remained silent. _His usual way, of course._ _Duh._

Heather's eyes softened. "Sweetheart, Stella trusts you. Do _you_ trust her though? Believe in her because I know that she believes in you. I see the way she looks at you like you're the only person that matters to her. She's happy with you. You're no different. Talk to her. It might help."

"That's the thing..." he sighed. "Why can't she understand that it's difficult for me to talk about Sky? "

Heather remembered Stella's words from earlier this morning.

 _"It's the fact that he doesn't do anything that bothers me. He pushes me away every time I try to get closer to him."_

 _What a timing..._ Heather sighed. "You don't know why she went to visit Skylar, so don't just assume everything," she tried to reason with him.

"It doesn't matter why she went. The point is that she did. Even when she knows that I'll be upset," Brandon said before standing up. "That's what hurts the most," he said with a sad sigh before turning around.

Heather watched him leave. He retired into one of the guest bedrooms and she knew that this conversation was over.

She sat in the living room, deep in thought. Why was her son like this? He used to be a lighthearted, fun, adventurous boy. He was also a bit of a nerd and somewhat shy in certain situations. And today, personality-wise, he didn't uphold that shy nerd stereotype anymore. He's a confident, daring, and no-nonsense man today. She's proud of who he has become, but...

She missed her son. Laughing and smiling is something he didn't very often. _Except_ when he's with Stella. He himself admitted to her plenty of times that Stella is his life's biggest gift, blessing, and a _miracle._ His eyes would light with fondness and joy. He would try to hide that happiness and not sound so excited, but Heather knew. Stella brought out a change in him, a version of him that has been missing for _years._ She really is a miracle. And now, he left that supposed miracle in the middle of the night. And for what? Some 'mistake' she did? If you love someone so much, shouldn't you be able to forgive their mistakes, no matter how big they are?

Heather sighed. Sometimes...she didn't know why her son turned out this way. Did his breakup with Skylar affect him to _this_ extent? Shouldn't five years have erased that? Or at least ease that pain? It's true when they say that grief could change a person into someone they're not.

Not to mention his steaming _hatred_ for his dad. Heather sighed again deeply. They've been at each other's throats for years now.

 _Five years, to be exact._

But blaming Lucas for happened is ridiculous. Five years ago, it was Brandon who screwed up. It was all him. Only he and Skylar could be blamed for what happened with their relationship. They don't have a right to blame anyone else.

But Brandon just needed a way to blame someone because he couldn't cope with what happened. He succumbed to drinking.

 _Anything to numb his pain._

Heather's eyes stung with tears as she remembered what she had to go through just to get her baby boy back to normal again.

 _Anything to get her son back._

* * *

 _"Heather, you need to come here," Sky said grimly on the phone._

 _"Why, what happened?!"_

 _"He's been into a fight. Please."_

 _"On my way."_

 _…_

 _Sitting with his back faced to the wall, Brandon stared at the booze in his hands, enjoying the way it poisoned him. He enjoyed the mask of intoxication as he drank continuously without a care in the world._

 _"Brandon!" Heather exclaimed in horror at the multiple bruises around his face. But he didn't seem to even notice. "Oh, sweetheart," she cried desperately while tenderly clutching her son's damaged face. He had a swollen, busted lip, black eyes, and purple cheek._

 _"What happened to him, Sky?!" Heather asked with tearful eyes, turning to the helpless, blonde, young man._

 _"I'm so sorry. I tried to get him to stop, Heather," Sky said softly. "He was drinking and talking to this random dude, who apparently has a love failure too. They were introducing themselves and all of a sudden...Brandon punched the guy because he said that...his name was Lucas."_

* * *

 _"Your son is diagnosed with a severe case of blood poisoning." The doctor explained grimly, "He's very lucky to be alive. Very lucky."_

 _..._

 _Brandon stared dead ahead at the wall, his eyes bloodshot. He barely noticed the nurse injecting IV into him before leaving. A few moments later, Heather cautiously entered the room with tears streaming down her face._

 _"Sweetheart?" Heather cautiously approached his bed. He didn't stir, but she could tell that he was listening. "Honey, what are you doing to yourself?" she cried, holding his hand. "Please. Please stop this," she sobbed, caressing his jaw gently. "You're allowed to cry. I know you're hurting, but please. Please don't do this to yourself."_

 _At her words, he slowly turned to her with soulless eyes. She continued, feeling lucky that she was able to capture his attention while he was in a conscious state. "You can cry, sweetie. You're allowed to do that. With all this drinking, you're killing yourself. And me," Heather sobbed._

 _His eyes widened slightly before tears erupted in them. Heather watched as tears formed in his eyes before they cascaded down messily. All of a sudden, a heart-wrenching sob left his lips as his body started to shake. Heather instantly hugged him before crying along with him. "I'm here for you, son. I'm here for you," she cried, trying to be strong for his sake._

* * *

A tear slipped down Heather's cheek at those awful memories. Out of both her children, she felt the most protective of her firstborn. And for making him come out of that stage, for making him feel _life,_ she had no words for the gratitude and love she felt for her daughter-in-law. She wanted both of them to be happy. But it seems like fate always had different plans for them.

In less than forty eight hours, her daughter is going to get married. She'll belong to her another family. She'll leave soon. Helia is a bright, young man and Heather never had any qualms with him. Knowing him since he was a kid, she knew that her daughter's future is well-secured. But Brandon...she didn't know. She didn't know what to expect of her son's relationship.

She could only hope that they resolve their problems soon because...

 _She didn't have the strength to witness another breakdown from her child._

* * *

 **~ The Following Afternoon - 4:00 PM ~**

Stella knocked on the door before ringing the bell.

"Heather, hi," the blonde smiled tiredly when the older woman opened with a motherly smile.

"Brandon's not home," Heather said apologetically.

Stella nodded, feeling her heart sink with disappointment. She didn't even know why she expected him to be. "I figured," she said quietly. "He wouldn't answer my calls or my texts. I'm really sorry about this, but can you give this letter to him?" she said while pulling out a white, four-way folded, A4 sheet of paper.

"No worries. Do you want to come in for some coffee?" Heather offered while taking the letter from her.

Stella shook her head. "Thank you, but I think I should go. I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"You bet," Heather chuckled before giving her a short hug.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ 9:50 PM ~**

Brandon yawned and barged straight into the house, _beyond_ ready to get some shut-eye.

"Is your husband around?" he asked dryly.

"Stop. He's your father and you will address him that way," Heather scolded. _"With respect."_

He rolled his eyes and shut up, not wanting to make the conversation even uglier than it already is. He decided to just turn in for the night.

"By the way, Stella came for you," Heather said.

Brandon froze and stopped in his tracks before hostility graced his features. "Cool," he said.

"...Don't act like you're not happy about it," Heather rolled her eyes. "She left a letter for you. I put it on your bed," she smirked.

Brandon ignored his subconscious, which nodded with a satisfied glint in its eye. "I'm going to sleep," he muttered before calmly climbing upstairs. He entered

He eagerly unfolded the paper, not that he'll admit to himself. Stella's cursive handwriting came into view in black ink.

 _Brandon,_

 _I'm writing this letter because I don't really have the courage to say a coherent sentence while standing in front of you. Plus, I don't want to fight with you. But I want to tell you that...I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't expect you to be like this. It breaks my heart to see you so hurt, but..._

 _I STILL very much BELIEVE AND KNOW that I've done NOTHING wrong. NOTHING._ _Believe it or not, I was going to tell you last night after I returned. You somehow found out within hours after I left. So, before you accuse me of going behind your back, can I ask how you know I've paid a visit to Skylar?_

 _Perhaps ignoring you for a few hours may seem heartless to you, but I stayed with the girls because of your sister. Flora. I stayed for my friend who's going to be a married woman in less than twenty-four hours. That was her bachelorette party and she wanted me there. I stayed back for her. I won't ruin her hopes and her happiness at this time. I trust that you won't either when you show up tomorrow._

 _I look forward to see you there._

 _Stella_

 _P.S._ _Please come back home...I miss you so much. Please, Brandon. I love you._

His eyes glared at the presumptuous tone. _Presumptuousness._ How dare she? How _DARE_ she assume that she's right?! He scrunched up the paper in sheer rage and threw the crumpled mess across the room. His chest heaved as his eyes flashed with anger.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 11:05 PM ~**

Stella sat in the living room, practically boring holes into her inactive phone. Any text or call jolted her awake. She would eagerly open it, thinking that it was from Brandon, but only to be incredibly disappointed when it's not. _Please come home,_ Stella closed her eyes tiredly.

She suddenly gasped and sat up straight when she heard the front door lock turn. She blinked in surprise. "Brandon?!" her eyes watered immediately in sheer happiness. She hadn't heard the car pull up. _Guess I was too busy looking at the phone,_ she jumped up in glee when the door opened. And sure enough, the brunette entered the house and his eyes instantly locked with hers.

"You're home!" Stella cried, rushing to him instantly without wasting time.

She hugged, knocking him back to collide with the door. "I missed you," she sobbed, crying into his shirt. "I missed you so much!"

 _I can tell,_ he shrugged but didn't reciprocate her actions. _Even though he badly wanted to._ "How's your foot?" Brandon asked quietly. "Do you think running around like this is a wise idea?" he sternly scolded.

"I'm fine!" she frantically said, barely being able to keep the excitement out of her tone.

He stared at her for a long second before grabbing her elbow and forcing her to take a seat in the living room. "Sit," he said in a commanding voice, pointing to the sofa behind them.

She stared at it. _Is this really what's important right now?!_ Stella scoffed. "It's fine, really—"

"I won't repeat myself. Sit," he pointed, earning an unhappy huff from her. She sat down anyway and started to pout in discontent. Crossing her arms, she looked away from him angrily at his commanding nature.

"...It's for your own good," he said slowly, noticing her angry eyes.

Her eyes softened at the sound of his guilt. "No, I didn't mean to—"

"Good," he interrupted. "I'll get the first-aid."

In minutes, he came back with a white box with a bright red plus sign in the middle. He sat beside her before holding her bandaged foot. "Is it still bleeding? When you finish showering or maybe when you walk?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Sometimes," she replied. "Brandon, I'm fine. Seriously. It's no big deal."

"If not dealt with carefully, you could get it infected," he interrupted. "Especially since you never listen to me and prefer running around like a loon," he glared at her.

"I was happy to see you," she defended herself.

He ignored her little professions. "Your body doesn't give a damn about how you feel," he rolled his eyes. "Not when it's hurt," he said, giving her a quick glance.

For some reason, that actually stung. It sounded like _he_ was saying it. _Is that how he feels too?_ she frowned with hurt.

He held her foot before gently unwrapping the bandage. Each time he twisted the wrap, the cast loosened and the blood stain on the white mesh grew more and more vivid. His eyes widened as he finished. It looked far worse than it did yesterday. There was a purple bruising around the cut, ugly enough to cause him panic. His eyes snapped up to face her. "Does it really not hurt?" he asked with an edge to his tone.

Stella shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Really. I swear it looks worse than it feels."

"Are you lying to me?" he asked quietly, staring at her pensively.

"No," she replied. "I would never lie to you," she muttered lowly, but loud enough for him to hear.

He glanced up at her and saw that hurt flashed across her eyes. He knew then that she wasn't talking about injury's seriousness. "You said it hurts when you walk," he pointed, changing the topic back to course.

"It's not that unbearable."

"...Sure? You don't want to go to the hospital?" he asked.

She shook her head. "It's not that serious. Really."

"Okay then," he sighed.

The next few minutes were painfully silent. Stella's lips didn't move even though she badly wanted to talk to him. Him being _this_ closed off and stiff is something that she's not used to. He was hesitating to even touch her. HIM! The man who could barely keep his hands off of her is now hesitating. That hurt. It hurt a lot. She took this time to gaze at him. Running her eyes over his... _gelled_ hair? _Why did he gel it?_ she wondered curiously. And that's when she noticed his attire. She blinked. He was wearing a slim-fit denim jacket with jeans underneath.

"Did you go somewhere?" she asked curiously.

"You're the one to talk," he muttered with hostility.

She blinked at his harshness and tone, clearly taken aback. "I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was just asking," she said with hurt in her tone.

"None of your business," he muttered. "I'll go wherever the hell I want. I don't need to tell you," he rolled his eyes before wrapping the final touches on her foot and cutting off any excess fabric with scissors. He stood up with a finished sigh before closing the box. He checked his phone to see that it was just a little before midnight.

"Now that I'm done, I'm leaving," he told her coldly, turning his back to her.

Stella looked up at him with longing eyes. "Brandon...do you...do you hate me?" she said with a choked voice, suppressing the urge to cry her heart out.

He stopped in his tracks, her question freezing him in mid-gait. He turned around when she started to cry into her hands.

"What did I do to you?" she sobbed.

His heart hardening with agony, he took a few steps towards her before bending to her level. "It's what you didn't do," he said, removing her hands from her face before placing them in her lap. "It's what you didn't do," he repeated, trying to get his point across. "Oh. And this," he said with an edgy tone before taking out a crumpled paper from his back pocket. He handed it to her, who gaped in return with anticipation.

"Letters? Really...?" he asked with disappointment in his voice. "You came all the way to my mom's. You couldn't tell me in person...?" Brandon asked softly.

"Because you wouldn't listen to me! You were throwing everything everywhere!" she shouted. She clutched his bandaged hand and hugged it to her chest. "You were so mad! You were hurting yourself," she sobbed. "How should I deal with that?!"

"You knew I was mad. Didn't you? And how did you deal with it? You silenced your phone and told me that you wouldn't be there for me," he said. "Imagine this...the person you love the most and whom you thought also loved you...left you. In the worst way possible," he said, tears forming in his eyes. "Do you think I'm having fun? Fighting with you?" he sniffled. "I'm not. Stella, you could've stabbed me in the heart and it wouldn't have hurt. But this...this is something that I need time to deal with," he said.

He continued with a deep sigh. "Forget Skylar. Forget the way you went to talk to her. I can...I can somehow overlook that. And eventually, I'll forget too. But I can't forget this. _This_ is the way I deal with grief."

"...I didn't mean to hurt you," Stella finally said with fresh tears in her eyes. "I didn't think it would be dragged to this extent," she sobbed. "I didn't know that you were so hurt."

He stared at her. "I've always been there for you. _Always._ Hell, I even chose to defend you when the entire world pointed fingers at you," he sniffled. "And the one time I needed you, you weren't here," he said as a tear finally slipped down his jaw.

A long silence ensued as the two just sat there, reminiscing over their relationship

He took a deep breath. "You want to know where I was at? I was with Helia and the guys," he finally said. Recognition flashed in her eyes. Today's was Helia's bachelor party. "But I couldn't stay," he admitted. "I spun a story and left early," he shrugged. "Not a moment flew by where I didn't think of you and how much I miss you."

He finally stood up. He didn't want to prolong this conversation anymore. This was supposed to be a simple encounter.

 _1\. Get in._

 _2\. Tend to the wound._

 _3\. Get out._

Before he changes his mind on the getting out part, he needed to get the flip out of here. "I'll see you tomorrow," he quietly said.

And that was it. That was the last thing she heard from him as he moved away from her. His figure grew smaller. She drew her knees to her chest before tears slipped out of her eyes. She sniffled and looked down at her foot, which still held the warmth from his tender touch. She missed him. She really missed him so much. _His gentle smile, his loving touches, his tight, bear hugs, his laugh, his childish grumpiness when he couldn't get something right..._ She missed them all.

She checked the time on her phone. _11:43 PM..._

Even at this time, he came. He came for her. Whether or not he'll admit it to himself, she knew that he came because of her. Despite him being angry at her, he still came...for her. Through blurry eyes and splotchy vision, her fingers shook as she pulled up his contact on her phone.

 _Good night, Brandon. I'm sorry.  
I love you._

There. _Send._ She just needed him to know. Whether or not he'd reply, she would still—

She let out a surprised gasp when her phone buzzed in her hands almost immediately. She saw in shock that he was calling her. Why so shocked, you ask? Because out of all the million times she called and texted him, this was the _first_ time he actually acknowledged it.

"Hello!?" she immediately picked up.

"Go to sleep," he said monotonously from the other end. His voice through her phone sounded like a dream come true.

"I'm sorry, Brandon," she burst into tears. "I love you. Please don't leave me. Please. Just hear me out. Just once. Please."

His line went quiet for a long moment. "No," he softly said, making her heart sink. "Not right now. Not over a phone or a text or a freaking letter. We'll talk. Soon," he replied.

Her eyes brightened with hope. "Yes! YES, WE'LL TALK!" she screamed in excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"...I'm driving, so I'd appreciate you not giving me a heart attack with your outbursts," he said quietly.

"Right. Sorry. I was...I was happy to hear that," she softly said while wiping her tears away.

The line went quiet. "...Good night, Stella," he said with a twinge of gentleness.

Tears sprung to her eyes at the tone he always used with her. "Good night, Brandon," she sniffled with a smile. She thought he was about to hang up when she heard him speak again.

"By the way...nice choice of pajamas."

Her eyes widened as she looked down at herself. A soft, rosy blush bloomed on her lips at his compliment.

 _Teddy bears._

She loved these pajamas. "...Thank you," she replied with a sniffle.

"Go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow," he commanded very quietly into the phone.

"You too," she said.

She instantly went to her bedroom happily before curling up on the bed to go to sleep.

 _Tomorrow will be a good day._

... _Right?_

* * *

 **~ The Following Morning - 7:20 AM ~**

"I'm coming, I'm coming, hold your damn horses!" Stella shrieked when she heard, presumably the girls, banging the life out of that door. She barely had the time to blink as she rushed to the door. She opened it and four girls forced themselves in, nearly knocking her to the floor.

"What's the hurry?!" Stella screamed angrily with hands on her hips. Soon, they all started giggling like idiots.

"We gotta go!" Musa said, dragging the blonde by her arm. "We thought you wouldn't be up, but thank the lord heavens you already showered!"

Stella giggled. "It's Flora's wedding! Where is she?"

"Already at the bridal suite, getting ready. We should go too. We only have a few hours," Bloom clapped her hands in excitement.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Stella exclaimed before grabbing her keys, wallet, and phone. "Do we have everything?"

"Hair dryers, straighteners, and curlers. Check," Musa raised her hand.

"Bobby pins. Check," Bloom said, leaving them all nodding vigorously. _Very important!_

"Dresses and makeup. Check," Layla remembered.

"Laptops, phones, and chargers. Check," Tecna beamed with pride, leaving them all staring at her weirdly. "What? They're important!" she protested before they all laughed in agreement.

"Classic Tec," Musa laughed, shaking her head from side to side. "Stel, grab yo' shit. We gotta go."

In a few minutes, the girls are out of the door before carpooling into a single ride.

* * *

 **~ Wedding Bridal Suite - 8:40 AM ~**

"Girls, you're late!" Flora shrieked angrily as she opened the door to let the five idiots in. "I thought we were all getting ready together!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

Musa held up her hand. "Dude, morning traffic in New York is horrendous! And especially on a MONDAY!" she shook her head from side to side. But there was a reason for Flora picking a workday. She wanted a smaller wedding with only family and close friends, plus it was easier (not to mention _cheaper_ ) to get venues on weekdays. It was better that way.

"Hey, at least you have all the attention of the hair dressers and MUAs," Stella joked, leaving them to laugh.

"Okay, so who goes first?" Tecna asked, clueless.

"There are three each. So, Tecna, Layla, and I'll go first with hair while the rest of you can get your makeup done," Flora explained. The girls nodded while another few knocks interrupted their chatter. Three hair dressers and makeup artists entered, carrying a spin stroller.

Two of them stepped forward and introduced themselves. "Alright! I'm Mirta and this is Lucy," Mirta, a short-haired redhead, smiled in enthusiasm while introducing herself and her friend. "And these are our assistants," Lucy smiled, pointing to the four behind them.

"Congratulations on your big day, Flora! And the baby!" Mirta grinned. "Always happy to dress up a beautiful, pregnant bride!"

Flora blushed. "Thank you," she said politely.

* * *

Musa sat in her chair, patiently while Lucy patted her face with matte foundation in a somewhat fair shade to match her pale complexion. "Flo, how does it feel as the fate kisses goodbye to your bachelor years?" she asked with a smirk.

Flora paled slightly as Mirta did her hair. "Is this what wedding blues mean?"

Stella smirked. "Absolutelyyyy!" she sang.

Bloom gasped. "Oh wait! We're all conveniently forgetting that our dearest Stell is the fossil here! She's been married, for what, like two years?" the redhead whistled. "How does it feel to get hitched?"

Stella blushed before it faded slightly when she remembered that her marriage life recently hasn't really been at its apex. As for Bloom's question, she didn't know. "Well, to be honest, it felt like shit initially, but now, it's heaven," she dreamily sighed, making the others laugh. Mirta and Lucy glanced at each other in bewilderment. _Who the heck says that about marriage?_

Noticing their confused looks, Musa and Flora started to laugh. "Stella is married to her brother," Musa explained, pointing to the brunette bride. "It was an arranged marriage."

"Oh!" Mirta laughed. "That's so romantic!"

 _Not really,_ Stella thought dryly as she remembered the recent days. Her so-called husband has been experienced mood swings on and off that she didn't know how she's going to approach him the next time they approach each other. "Speaking of, where are the guys getting ready?"

"Back at our house," Flora pointed. "There isn't a groom's suite here."

Stella nodded in understanding, her thoughts drifting away to focus on Brandon while the girls chattered about their memories with each other.

* * *

 **~ Helia's and Flora's House - 9:00 AM ~**

"Dude, you're in my way!" Sky hollered to Riven, who simply smirked. Brandon and Helia glanced at each other before shaking their heads in amusement. "Riven, that's cheating!" Sky screeched like a banshee.

"Oh, cry me a river," Riven started to laugh.

The two guys were playing video games — racing.

 _Men._

What else is new?

Helia chuckled as he eyed the two, who've been rivaling each other since they were kids. "Grow up, you idiots," he laughed.

The six gathered in the living room, already showered and changed into their sweatpants. Timmy was on his phone, playing some video game that can't be explained to the common man. Brandon lay back on the sofa leisurely and read comic books. Nabu was busy stuffing his face and reading a newspaper. Sky and Riven sat on bean bags beside each other and nudged each other while playing video games. Helia watched on in amusement while eating a light breakfast.

"I wonder what the girls are doing," Brandon murmured out loud.

"Except for Musa, they're all caking their faces with makeup. What else?" Riven muttered with a snort.

Brandon scowled and stood up before hitting him upside the head, leaving the rest to start laughing at Riven's death glare. "It's the truth, man!" he protested, rubbing his sore head. "Only women need hours to get ready," he snickered. "We men are perfect the way we are."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," Brandon chuckled before resuming his earlier task. _Finish reading comics._

The brunette, under the pretense of reading comics, thought about what Stella was doing. _Probably doing her hair and makeup,_ he chuckled. _What else?_ Even though he didn't reply, she had been sending texts to him all morning.

 ** _6:05 AM -_** _Good morning!_

 ** _7:12 AM -_** _The girls are here and we're leaving. See you soon. XX_

 ** _8:28 AM_** _\- Are you ignoring me? :(_

 _Yes. Yes, I am,_ he thought dryly. And he had good reasons to. He woke up in a better mood this morning, but that didn't change the fact that he was still salty about what happened. He may have been "nice" last night and she must've thought that they were all good to go again. _Wrong. They're not._ He may have been "nice", but his heart hadn't changed.

 _Not significantly anyway._

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Wedding Bridal Suite - 11:40 AM ~**

"Oh my god, we all look so good!" Flora dabbed her eyes, trying not to cry. "I love all of you so much."

"Don't cry! If you cry, we'll cry too. And our makeup is going to be ruined," Bloom sniffled.

"Enough of the waterworks! Pictures!" Tecna announced, fanning herself to dry the unneeded moisture in her eyes. "Where are the phones and photographers?"

* * *

 **~ Helia's and Flora's House - 11:50 AM ~**

"Dude, I want your tie," Sky demanded, grabbing Brandon's collar.

"The hell?!" the brunette gasped at the sudden choke hold.

"Oh come on! Bloom sent me a picture of the color of her dress. Your tie matches more than mine!" Sky protested, tugging at Brandon's collar violently.

"Guys, get this twerp off of me!" Brandon shouted, trying to push him away.

"Dude, what are you doing?!" Helia and Riven started to laugh while pulling Sky away from the brunette.

Brandon chuckled and rolled his eyes before removing the tie. "They're all the same, you idiot. But here you go anyway," he rolled his eyes before handing the satin fabric to the very happy blonde.

"Sure it's not bad juju to see a bridesmaid before a wedding?" Nabu asked curiously.

"It's just a color, not the whole dress," Sky dismissed before tying the tie around his collar.

* * *

 _ **Nearly an hour or so later...**_

 **~ Wedding Bridal Suite - 12:30 PM ~**

"Girls, the guys are here!" Musa peeked out of the curtains to see five handsome men walk towards the venue. Photographers walked behind them and snapped candid pictures. They were all laughing and fist-bumping, normal things that guys usually do when they're excited.

"We have to take photos with them. Are all of you ready?" Tecna announced, excluding Flora from the question to uphold the 'groom shouldn't see bride before ceremony' tradition. They all wanted to get at least some of the photos out of the way. There'll be more between the ceremony and reception, where Flora and Helia can join them.

A collective 'Yes!' was heard from the group.

"You sure you'll be able to walk?" Musa asked Stella in concern as the blonde finished tying the fresh bandage on her foot. The blonde smiled in reassurance. "I'm fine, Muse," she said genuinely. It wasn't that bad really. They all had on long dresses and are, therefore, very good at concealing her injury. She winced as she slipped on the heels, letting her heel rise up painfully.

"Let's go out then!" Bloom giggled in sheer excitement.

They all looked at themselves in the mirror one last time before slowly walking out one by one.

"I feel like I'm the one walking down the aisle," Layla leaned over and whispered to Musa. "I can't take my eyes off of him," she sighed dreamily, referring to Nabu.

"Amen," she whispered back, catching sight of Riven.

The girls had on similar-colored — mint green — dresses. Only Layla was the exception with a beautiful turquoise dress as she's the maid of honor. The dresses were similar in length except they had different styles near the necklines. Bloom's was a one-shoulder gown, Musa's was a V-neck, Tecna's was high neck, Stella's was illusion, and finally, Layla's was an off-shoulder one. With matching, white accessories, the girls were beautiful, all in their own, unique ways. Tecna's short hair was curled into flattering, beach waves, Musa and Bloom preferred straight hair with their bangs out, and Stella left her hair in gorgeous curls in a half-up, half-down hairstyle while Layla left their hair open all the way.

The girls stopped in front of the guys with huge smiles on their faces.

Stella couldn't stop staring at Brandon, who looked as if he stepped out of a Greek myth. The more she looked, the more handsome he appeared to her. He wore a dark grey tuxedo with a bow tie. "Hi," she whispered with a smile.

A very faint smile touched his lips, but he didn't say anything. The blonde looked down in confusion when she saw a box in his hands. "What's that?" she asked in bemusement.

Recognition flashed in his eyes. "Oh. Right," he mumbled. "These are for you," he said, handing the box to her. "If you want."

Her eyes widened as she took the cardboard box from him. Well, it was fairly light. She shook the box around and heard something moving inside. "Can I open it?" she asked in eager curiosity.

Amusement tickled his eyes. "They'll be a waste if you open the box after the wedding," he chuckled slightly.

"Oh," she blushed. Curiously, she opened the box and peeked inside. Her jaw dropped slightly when she saw beautiful, pale-green, rhinestone sandals. They had flat heels and were open for the most part.

"I hope you like them," he sighed quietly. "I didn't really have time to look for better—"

He grunted slightly when she hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she said softly. "This is so thoughtful of you," she happily smiled into his shirt.

"Don't mention it," he said in a low tone.

She took off her heels and instantly, relief flooded through her eyes. That feels _so_ good. She slipped on the sandals he brought for her and adjusted the straps in the back accordingly. The footwear left her injury alone and didn't apply too much pressure.

"Feel better?" he murmured, looking down at her feet.

She nodded instantly. These were so much more comfortable than the nightmares she had been walking on earlier. It was only after she took them off that she realized what a pain they were. "Thank you so much," she told him with sincere gratitude. He didn't have to. She would've gone herself, but there was literally no time.

He nodded silently, not saying much and barely giving away his emotions.

She frowned at his muteness. "Are you going to be mad at me all day?" she asked with her heart sinking with disappointment. She had been waiting all day for him and he can't even show the _slightest_ bit of happiness, however mad he might be?

"As long as you give me space and don't approach me unless you need me, then we're good," he sighed, averting his eyes away from her.

She looked taken aback. "...Then why did you come last night?" she asked with hurt. "What was all of that? What's with the whole 'I'm willing to talk'?"

"I came because you told me to. I obviously wouldn't have, otherwise."

"...So, you didn't come back on your own? You didn't want to see me?" Stella asked bitterly. "You know what? Fine. I'm tired and sick of arguing with you back and forth. You're making me a criminal here and you're making me feel the worst of myself."

"Guys, the guests are gonna arrive soon. If we're going to take pictures, it has to be now. We have to go," Timmy announced to everyone, breaking up the heated spat between the already married couple in their group.

Turning to the group, Stella plastered a smile for them. "Just a second, you guys," she said, pausing them for a second. She tossed a subtle glare towards the brunette before bending and quickly removing the new pair of sandals he got her. He looked stunned for a second — _good_ — before he looked...hurt. It pricked the blonde's heart to a great extent, but right now, she was just as hurt as him. He toyed with her emotions and has been treating her like she's some kind of a disgusting little bug. Without another word and without sparing him another glance, she slipped the heels back on, ignoring just how much they hurt and irritated her injury.

"Alright, let's roll!" Stella trotted over to the girls, giving them all an award-winning smile.

Oblivious to the uncomfortable tension between Stella and Brandon, they all followed the photographers.

Being true nature lovers, both Flora and Helia wanted an open area wedding. And since NYC is known for its bustling streets rather than greenery, they chose a venue a little outside of the city. Surrounded by high plateaus and verdant fields, the landscape was beautiful. The weather wasn't too sunny; it was just the right amount of cloudy with a few flickers of the sun's rays swaying back and forth gently. Golden daffodils, purple asters, white narcissus, and other spring flowers started to bloom. Pink and white cherry blossom trees grew beautifully into canopies, replacing the empty branches from a few months ago.

"Alrighty! Now that we're all here, I want the ladies to my left," one of the photographers started instructing, pointing to the girls. "The guys to the right, please."

Listening to the photographers, the group did as they were told. Stella tried her best to not touch Brandon, not after the way he treated her. It just wasn't fair. Today was supposed to be a happy occasion, but _no._ This jerk just has to find a way to ruin it.

Nearly thirty to forty minutes later, the photographers announced that if anyone wanted individual pictures as couples, then they can.

Stella paled slightly. _As couples?_ Jeez. _That won't be awkward at all,_ she resisted the urge to snort. She glanced at Brandon almost shakily before deciding that she was no nowhere ready for couple/romantic poses.

"Do we have to do individual pictures now? We can do them later. I'm sure Flora's panicking," Stella giggled 'casually', stepping away from him. She only hoped that her smile was convincing enough.

Brandon checked the time on his watch. "There's still time. We can get them over with," he shrugged.

The rest of them agreed in unison, leaving Stella to glare at him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she whispered with a quiet hiss.

He simply glanced at her but didn't say anything. "Don't act overboard. It'll only take a few minutes," he rolled his eyes.

"Look here, you, I don't know who you think you are—," she started, pointing an accusatory index finger at him before she staggered in her footsteps. She gasped as she instantly latched onto his arm for support. She winced in pain before regaining her postural balance. Realizing that he was gazing at her and that she was _still_ holding onto him, she instantly let go. "Sorry," she said in a low voice, feeling humiliated for some reason.

He watched as the photographers flashed their cameras on all of them candidly as the rest of the group jovially talked.

Turning back to Stella, Brandon wrapped a gentle arm around her waist. "Don't let your anger for me cloud your judgment," he said flatly. "You'll be the one at loss; not me," he whispered. Her skin flamed under his touch, but she didn't comment. "Okay. Let's get this over with," he silently whispered before pulling her closer to him. His hand curled around her waist, her thumb absentmindedly stroking the fabric there.

She glanced up at him. This was the first time in days where he had actually touched her.

Through his periphery, he noticed that she was gaping him silently like a frog. He turned to her with before leaning towards her ear. "Smile," he whispered. "As pretty as you are, your smile is what brightens these pictures."

Whether he was putting an act or he genuinely meant it, she couldn't tell. Nonetheless, she couldn't stop the way her lips curled up into a small smile.

* * *

 **~ 1:40 AM ~**

It was a beautiful Spring wedding in the early afternoon. The altar faced a distant, yet breathtaking view of mountains. White chairs were placed side by side along each aisle. Guests were starting to take their seats. The four groomsmen ushered them to their seats with happy smiles and that included Brandon.

"Jay, glad you could make it!" Brandon grinned before giving him a short hug.

"Our little sis is getting married. Of course I have to be here," Jay laughed, giving his friend a fist-bump. He soon sat down while Brandon laughed and went to receive more guests.

Families and friends gathered around as the air smelled of nothing but sheer joy. Women dressed elegantly to match the occasion and all the men wore tuxedos or suits. Children excitedly ran around while their parents chased them around with exasperation, trying to control the chaos. Photographers flocked to capture the candid moments of joy. As the time grew closer to the actual ceremony, more guests appeared.

Heather was lost in an emotional chatter with some of her close friends, all collectively wondering how quickly their children have grown. It felt like just yesterday that they were born and now they're off to start their own families.

Meanwhile, the belle of the ball, who's none other than bride, busied herself with anxiety. Flora was pacing around frantically in the room, while the girls tried to calm her down. "Oh my god!" she breathed in and out rapidly, feeling her body heat up. "What if I fall?! What if I mess up?! Did I forget my vows?! Where is that paper?!" she shrieked.

"Flora, calm down!" Layla said in alarm, rushing up to her. "Dude, it's not good for the baby!" she said, slightly shaking her shoulders.

"Why does it seem like I'm looking at myself?" Stella giggled, remembering how she acted two years ago. Bloom and Musa fist-bumped her before laughing.

"Flora, you won't fall. You have a little cantaloupe-sized baby inside of you! You're scaring it!" Musa pointed.

A knock on the door interrupted their little rants. Tecna stood up to open it. Instantly, six men came inside, their eyes on the bride. Flora looked absolutely beautiful. She was visibly glowing with her pregnancy. Her hair in an eloquent up-do and her mermaid, tulle wedding dress complimented her figure perfectly.

Lucas and the five other men looked on. "My baby girl," his eyes welled up with tears as he hugged his one and only daughter. Stella watched Brandon join the hug before he kissed her head. "You'll be fine, sis," he said with a gentle smile. He glanced up at Stella, who had a small smile on her face. Letting his sister go, he walked up to the blonde.

"The wedding's about to start," he whispered. "Sure you don't want to change?"

"I'm fine," she shook her head with determination. _I have to be._ She'll remove them for the reception afterwards. She can wear them for the wedding.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

Soon, they all heard the prelude music play, marking the beginning of the ceremony.

Everyone's faces shifted to enthusiasm and cheerfulness, each of them having bright smiles on their faces. Everyone stood up as the bridesmaids and groomsmen entered in pairs. Each couple followed the adorable, eight-year-old flower girls who joyfully threw a mixture of red rose and white carnation petals here and there. Taking their respective places by the bride's and groom's side, they all waited for the beautiful bride herself.

The crowd watched as Flora and Lucas walked down the aisle. Lucas was practically in tears while Flora had a smile on her face. Helia was tearing up as he watched his to-be-wife in a wedding dress, showing off her very much pregnant belly with pride.

The girls had on huge smiles while the guys just waited for the moment to wolf-whistle.

Stella watched with a wistful, but bright smile. Nearly two years ago, Lucas walked her down the same aisle. And gave her hand to...

 _Brandon,_ she finished happily. It brought back so many memories. She looked over at the brunette who had a gentle smile on his lips as he watched his sister so happy. It's really true what they say. Weddings are magical and they bring out the magic in everyone's hearts.

As they reached the altar, with tearful eyes, Lucas turned to his daughter. "I'm so proud of you, Flora. Not only have you made me proud, but you've also made me the happiest father alive," he said with a light sniffle. "Dad," Flora whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Take care of her, Helia," Lucas smiled at his son-in-law before he handed his daughter over to him. "I plan to, Luke," Helia smiled.

Meanwhile, the priest motioned for the guests to sit down. He sent them all a fatherly smile before clearing his throat. "We have gathered here today in the presence of God to join Helia Knightly and Flora Shields in the name of holy matrimony..."

The pastor went on and on about how holy a marriage is and how one should uphold that sacred union till death do them apart.

Stella listened with nostalgic tears in her eyes. She heard the same, holy words during her own nuptials.

The pastor, finally done with his speech about sacredness and marriage, turned to the groom. "Do you, Helia Knightly, take this woman, Flora Shields, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded wife; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect her and to forsake all others for her sake; to cleave unto her, and her only, until death shall part you?"

"I do," Helia said firmly while smiling down at Flora.

Then it was Flora's turn.

"Do you, Flora Shields, take this man, Helia Knightly, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded husband; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect him and to forsake all others for him sake; to cleave unto him, and him only, until death shall part you?"

Flora smiled back just as happily. "I do," she replied in a soft voice.

The pastor turned to the ring bearer, a young boy, and urged him to come forward. The boy took small steps forward and stopped before the groom and bride.

The pastor closed his book and held it with one hand. "If anyone has any concerns or restrictions regarding this holy affair, please speak now."

 _Silence. Just like it should be._

The pastor smiled before turning to the couple, "You may now exchange the rings."

Taking the rings, Helia first slipped it gently onto Flora's hand. Flora did the same. Unable to look away, they gazed at each other with joy shining in their eyes.

"Congratulations. You are now husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the pastor smiled.

The crowd went crazy and started to hoot and clap as the newly wedded couple kissed.

And soon, the festivities began.

* * *

Cameras flashed left and right. The hired photographers captured the everlasting moments through their high-resolution lens. The place buzzed with excited chatter. Children ran between tables and chairs in the nostalgic game of tag. Families got up in standing ovations as they flocked to congratulate the newly married couple. Each time Flora and Helia looked at each other in a lovey-dovey smile or maybe shared a loving kiss, cheers would erupt and everyone would hoot.

"We're officially sisters-in-law!" Stella giggled, hugging her close friend.

"Stel, we've always been sisters," Flora started to laugh, but nonetheless shared the sentiment. They're both married now. "Pose for the pictures!" she winked towards the photos. "Where's Brandon?!" the brunette asked curiously before scouring her eyes in the crowd.

Stella bit her lip and tried to find his voice. She blinked when she heard his laugh and his alone, filtering out from the other voices. _Cocktail party effect._ A true miracle, really.

"Brandon," she lightly touched his shoulder and he turned around in response. His eyes slightly softened at the sight of her. "Pictures?" he asked. She nodded in response. He excused himself before they both started to make their way back to the newly weds. It was a crowded mess. People were jumping everywhere, children were running, and on top of all that, cameramen chased to take good photos.

Stella suddenly gasped before stopped in her step. She hissed slightly when her foot scraped violently across someone's heel. A stabbing jolt of pain ran through her nerves as someone stepped right on her injury. She stumbled in her footing, unable to stand up properly. Sucking it up, she plastered a smile anyway. She felt the urge to sit, no longer being able to stand on two feet. Tears pricked her eyes, not out of the pain, but the sudden, shocking rush that traveled up and down her body.

Nonetheless, she followed him, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention. She stood a little to the side as they got ready for the pose. Shifting her attention to her squished injury, she panted slightly. She gasped in surprise when an arm snaked around her waist. She didn't protest nor did she complain, already knowing who it was. She just needed to sit down and relax her leg and maybe put an ice pack!

Brandon looked down at her, who seemed unnaturally flustered. "You're hurt, aren't you?" he asked in concern as she raised her foot up slightly, unable to stand still on her two feet.

"N-No," she said, relaxing slightly as the sting and surprise started to wear off. "I'm-I'm okay," she breathed. "Thanks."

"Can you stand for a few minutes?" he asked in concern. After a few snaps, it'll be just Flora's and Helia's turn, leaving the blonde some time to relax.

She nodded shakily.

Flora and Helia stood in the middle, while Flora's side of the family stood on Helia's side and vice versa.

Turning to Flora, Brandon smirked. "If he ever makes you cry, you let me know," he threatened with a playful growl. "We'll have words," he scowled at Helia.

Helia rolled his eyes before snapping his fingers towards Stella. "She is literally my sister now. You make her cry and I swear to god..." he trailed off threateningly, smirking just as playfully.

Stella and Flora giggled at the two. _Men will always be men._ Meanwhile, the blonde looked up at Brandon with love and longing in her eyes. Whether or not Helia knew the depth of what he just said, it was perfectly apt for this situation. Brandon was still salty as hell with her, barely talking to her unless spoken to. She sighed to herself. She would've genuinely enjoyed this wedding, if he was with her. _Truly with her._ She had been looking forward to the wedding for months now, ever since Flora and Helia announced the date and handed out one of the first invitations to them.

Stella barely realized how the time ticked. Instead of creating new memories, she was left with dwelling in the past, fondling with already-created moments of her life.

She smiled brightly for the camera, praying silently that no one ever recognizes the dullness in her amber-honey eyes.

* * *

After the pictures, Stella separated herself from the group, deciding to go over to her girlfriends and have a good time. She was too exhausted to keep fighting with Brandon, who'd be gentle and nice to talk to in the first five seconds before downright resorting to ignore her. _Damn his mood swings._ Why doesn't he realize how much they're hurting her? Why can't he just say what the flip he's feeling?! What's the point of being in a relationship if there's no communication? She can't even remember _WHY_ they're fighting. She honestly didn't know. And right now, she didn't care.

"Where do you think you're going?" she heard a voice behind her, but kept walking without turning to give him a glance.

"Leave me alone, Brandon," she muttered under her breath, walking as fast as she could, ignoring the shearing pain near the base of her leg.

"Stella, wait—" he said, grabbing her arm.

She hissed aggressively at the contact before turning to face him viciously. "I said, leave me alone!" she snapped at him. "I don't need your help and I don't want it!" she spat in vehemence.

He stood still for a second as a twinge of hurt flash in his eyes. But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished without a trace. Slowly, his eyes started to shift and harden into darker brown orbs. " _Fine._ _EXCUSE ME_ for giving a shit about you," he snapped back just as angrily. Without a word, he let her arm go before throwing her a death glare that sent her nerves running for their lives and hiding away in fear.

"B-Brandon—" she tried to protest weakly, reaching for his arm.

"Don't touch me," he gave her a dangerous death glare before flinching his body away from her reach. And with that, he turned around on his heel and left her alone. Hurt welled up in her eyes. _What's wrong with me...?_ she sighed tiredly to herself.

She stood there for a few moments, gaping like an idiot. Before she could even process what happened, a voice screamed excitedly in her ear. "YOOO!" Stella shrieked in surprise and even more so when a strong arm slung itself around her shoulders. She glared to see Jay laughing his ass off. "You sick freak!" the blonde glared in disapproval.

Jay simply laughed before giving her a once-over. "You would definitely turn me, Stella bear," he winked cheekily, leaving her to roll her eyes. "I have a very important question, by the way," he stated as a matter of fact.

"What?" Stella raised a curious eyebrow.

"Think there'll be alcohol at the reception?" he smirked.

Stella stared at him dryly. "Are you kidding me?"

Jay chuckled before dragging the blonde over to the guys.

Meanwhile, Stella turned around to steal a glance of...Brandon, but to her dismay, she lost him. _Already._ With a sad, hurt sigh, she cursed at the _awful_ timing of this beautiful occasion. Occasions like these are meant to rejuvenate you. Laughing and smiling in an event like this is completely natural. But forcing yourself to do so is actually a lot harder than one may think.

* * *

 _ **One hour later...**_

Hundreds and hundreds of pictures later, it was time for the reception. Though the wedding was only for close-knit family and friends, many more were invited for the reception. A few coworkers and distant relatives from both sides of the family were invited.

The reception hall was booked indoors to keep away the heat from the afternoon sun. White and champagne lighting filled the room. Rounded tables filled the room, giving ample space for families to cruise through. Buffet tables were set in the corners, along with servers behind them. Lighthearted, love songs played through the air from preset lists.

Guests filled the room slowly. Applause and cheers roared through the room as the newly married couple entered the room, hand-in-hand. New guests, who haven't had the chance to congratulate the newly weds yet, flocked to do so and bless them with a happily married life. The room buzzed busily with laughter, mirth, and euphoria. It was a beautiful thing to see and hear.

Flora and Helia sat in one of the tables set up at front, where a bouquet of bright red roses acted as a centerpiece. The crowd went wild as they shared a kiss. The five girls sat at a rounded table beside the couple while the guys sat on the other side. Flora's and Helia's parents sat behind them.

After moments, everyone took their seats as Brandon rose from his chair. He took his glass and tapped the side of it with a teaspoon, signalling everyone to be silent, except for little kids, who were softly hushed by their parents. Within moments, Brandon had everyone's attention as he stood in the front with a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thank you so much to everyone who made it here today. I'm Brandon, Flora's brother," he introduced himself. "I'm the older one here, so I've been around all of Flora's life. I like to think that I impacted her in some way, but it's her who impacted my life the most. Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do, they'll still be there," he chuckled. A few laughs erupted from different corners of the room.

Stella watched him with a longing smile, awed by the love he had for his sister.

He continued on a beautiful note. "I knew that this would happen one day. Nothing means more to us than seeing her happy with the man she deserves. And I proudly admit that she deserves Helia, my best friend and my brother-in-law, just as much as he deserves her," he smiled at her as they returned the feeling with tears in their eyes. The brunette finished on a final note. "Marriage...One can't describe the joy of it until he experiences it for himself..." he smiled wistfully, glancing at Stella for a long moment. He quickly turned to the crowd. "And with that, I congratulate the newly weds and I wish them nothing but the best and all the happiness in the world!" he grinned as he raised his glass as a toast. Cheers erupted from the audience. "To Flora and Helia!"

 _"One can't describe the joy of it [marriage] until he experiences it for himself."_

Stella felt her body heat up at the piercing gaze he had sent her way. It didn't escape anyone's notice. The girls sent subtle wolf-whistles while some glanced at her with a kind smile. But...only she knew. Only she knew that he didn't mean it. He wasn't happy with her. Not right now anyway. She sighed and clapped along whenever someone stood up and said their speeches.

She remained quiet for the most part and spoke only when spoken to. But she eventually had to get up and say a few words. After all, they're her close friends. She felt eyes on her and prepared herself for a moment, already knowing what she wanted to say.

"Flora's my sister-in-law and Helia's my new brother," Stella grinned at them, truly and sincerely happy for them. "I've known Flora for years before we lost touch and through my marriage with her brother, I found my beautiful friend again and I gained new ones. I found a new home with these people and home is where the heart is. I can't imagine two people who can be more perfect than Flora and Helia. I hope their marriage is only one of the joys in their lives. I hope they make new, beautiful memories with each other and their unborn child," she smiled widely. "And I wish them a long and happy, married life," Stella sniffled happily before raising her drink before swinging the cool liquid down her throat. Claps and cheers ensued. The blonde set the mike back in place and allowed the others to speak before going back to her seat.

About five to six minutes later, the lights dimmed. Instead of bright, white lighting, flashes of silver and pale blue filled the room before someone started to play songs through the speakers. And that was all it took for the crowd to go crazy. Champagne bottles were popped, hip-hop music played through, and everyone stood up from their chairs to let loose and go dance.

Stella sighed to herself before standing up to follow suit. She didn't know what she was supposed to dance for. Today was just her day. Her dwindling relationship, for starters, is a great, rosy place to start. As if that wasn't enough, every rose has a thorn. Her feet hurt like hell. She was _sure_ that they're probably numb right now but once she takes those damn heels off, she knew that she'll be in a world of pain. Her injured foot is probably feeling so abused right now. It had to suffer through jumping, walking, and even someone accidentally squashing it under their feet.

She gasped slightly when someone tugged on her arm. She turned to see Musa glancing at her in concern. Realizing that she probably acted too jumpy, Stella breathed a fake sigh of relief. But she wasn't fooling her best friend.

"Are you okay?" Musa asked gently and in a low voice as to not attract attention.

"Why do you ask?" Stella said in a soft voice. "Of course I'm okay."

"For starters, you looked like you were gonna cry," Musa said pointedly.

"It's a wedding," Stella chuckled.

"I know. And I wouldn't have asked if these were happy tears," Musa replied knowingly. "I've known you since we were in diapers, Stel, and I can tell when something's bothering you."

The two friends went away from the dancing crowd and moved over to the buffet table for distraction. "Is it Brandon?" Musa asked, wagering a guess.

"Is it that obvious?" Stella asked in shock.

"Whenever you're upset, it's usually him," Musa shrugged. The blonde rarely got upset unless the issue had to do with something related to her parents or Brandon.

Stella hesitated, refilling her glass of punch. "I'm fine," she said, slightly turning her face away to hide her incoming tears.

"Stel...don't cry," Musa gently said. "Whatever has happened between the two of you, I'm sure he's just as upset."

"He is," Stella sniffled. "He hates me, Musa."

Musa sighed sympathetically.

Stella tried to catch a glimpse of him, but it was useless. The place was dimmed too dark and there were a lot of black tuxedos in the crowd. _He hates me,_ she sniffled, wiping her tears away to control herself.

* * *

Completely miserable and genuinely upset, Stella was so over this whole thing. She felt horrible for saying this but she just wanted to get out of here.

The man who went to great lengths to protect her, who was more than happy to cook her something at midnight just because she said she was hungry, and who'd detect her sadness from a mile away was now ignoring her. No, no, no, he wasn't ignoring her. He was _angry._ He didn't want anything to do with her. She had been trying to convince him for days, but...he wasn't willing to listen. He just wasn't.

Watching him from the distance, she felt tears well up in her eyes. She missed him. She missed him so much. It feels like hell when the one you love just... _hates_ you. She tried not to cry. She didn't need attention; today wasn't her day. But the facts remained.

He was done with her. He really was. If he was angry at her to this extent, then...she really must've done something horribly, _horribly_ wrong. His words of hurt and bitter pain echoed through her mind.

 _"It what you didn't do."_

 _"You abandoned me and my feelings for hours straight...to watch a movie?"_

She closed her eyes in shame.

 _And she hadn't done that. She left him alone. All because of her presumptuousness. Presumptuousness that HE was overreacting when it was actually SHE who had no clue on what she was talking about._

* * *

 **~ 8:50 PM ~**

It's been a full five hours since the reception started and now it's almost finished. The wedding cake's been cut already and all that's left now is the bouquet throwing. Already being married, Stella decided to just skip it. _Or maybe I should go,_ she grumpily thought to herself. Right now, she felt as if she's been dumped twice, thrice, and a gazillion more times. Retaliating to the women's restrooms, she relaxed slightly and stared at herself in the mirror. All she saw was unhappy eyes, ready to cry again.

Pretending to be happy when you're heartbroken is one of the worst things life can throw at you. Clearing her eyes from moisture, she freshened herself up. She applied a coat of mascara and a little powder to conceal her dullness.

She blew a few strands out of her face before deciding that there's no use with dolling yourself up, not when you have a crisis on your hands. With a defeated, dull sigh, she gathered her things and left the bathroom. She entered the banquet hall once more and watched the time. Every ten minutes or so, a family or two congratulated and hugged the happily married couple once more before bidding their goodbyes.

She silently stood there and rolled back her shoulders slightly to stretch.

"Stella?" a familiar voice addressed before someone tapped her shoulder from behind.

Stella turned around before her eyes widened deeply. _Chris?!_ What is he doing here?! She blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected to see him here. "Chris, hi!" she laughed shortly, her face brimming with both confusion and happiness. He chuckled at her flustered state before giving her a short, warm hug. He pulled back to get a good look at her.

"Wow. You look...you look really nice," Chris complimented in awe.

"Thank you," the blonde smiled. _Would be nice if Brandon thinks so too..._ Stella thought wistfully.

"Why didn't you say hi sooner? I had no idea you were here!" Stella chuckled.

"Because I wasn't," he shrugged. "A friend of mine was invited to the reception in the last minute and I was a plus-one. We couldn't make it any earlier, but we still wanted to congratulate them," Chris smiled.

"Oh," Stella smiled. _Kinda unusual to show up when the party's almost over, but okay._ "Well, it's really nice to see you."

"You too, Stella. Always good to see you," he smiled once more genuinely. He checked the time. "I should really go and find her, if that's okay."

"Yeah, sure. Go on," Stella nodded with a small grin.

He gave her a light hug before flashing her a warm smile. Stella waved to him lightly and followed him with her eyes till he disappeared into the crowd and out of her sight. She sighed to herself before looking at her hand. _What's happening to us, Brand...?_ she thought in pain while gazing longingly at the ring that rested innocently on her hand.

She turned around to go back to join the girls when she let out a startled gasp. Her eyes widened when she saw Brandon standing right in front of her and glaring double-edged daggers at her. He glared at her before his eyes darted to the direction Chris disappeared in. Stella felt a shiver run down her spine as his hands formed into his fists. With a furious sigh, he turned on his heel and left.

"B-Brandon, wait!" Stella protested, following him. Her heels clicked against the tiles and the hard surface made it all the more difficult for her to walk. "Please. Wait," she winced in pain, unable to catch up with his strides. "Please!" she tried, grasping his arm, but he instantly withdrew it as if he touched hot, burning lava.

"Leave me alone," he hissed angrily.

"Why are you so mad?!" she asked in confusion, hurt, and incredulity. He had absolutely _NOTHING_ to be jealous of!

"You were fraternizing with him and that's reason enough," he spat with a death glare.

"So...I'm not supposed to talk to anyone?" she asked in shock.

Brandon raked a frustrated hand through his hair. "I don't fucking trust him. Got it?!" he glared. "Wait. Why is he here in the first place?!" he growled, taking a threatening step towards her. "Did _YOU_ invite him?!" he snapped, pointing an accusatory finger towards her.

"W-What?" she blinked in shock at his insinuations.

"Wait. Why do I even care?" he asked himself in bemusement before his lips stretched into a thin, furious line. "You know what? My mistake," he smiled before the grin disappeared. "Go and do whatever you want."

"...Why are you so angry?" she winced at his fury. "I didn't know Flora's choices of invitations were my responsibilities," she tried not to let tears well up in her eyes. She bowed her head slightly to control a sob. Raising her head, she sniffled. "You know...I thought...I thought we would eventually be okay, but now you're just..." she trailed off in tears, not knowing what else to say.

"His father tried to fuck me over. Repeatedly. That gives me _plenty_ of reason to be pissed," he snapped.

 _Oh._

"...Is that my fault too?" Stella sniffled. She didn't know that. But even if she did, Chris is not like that.

He fell still at her words. _Just tell her that it's not,_ his conscious warned him. _Or you'll regret it._ "...No," he whispered automatically. "...It's not," he replied. With a deep, frustrated sigh, he brushed past her. Stella closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath as the wind that was generated through his rapid movements fanned across her face.

She eyed the ring on her finger with tears in her eyes. She's been looking it it quite often today. It's official. As soon as this wedding is done with, he'll probably want nothing to do with her. Maybe he already doesn't. He probably just didn't say anything so far because the mood for everyone will be ruined.

* * *

Brandon stood outside the hall to take a breather. His eyes looked across the horizon. His lips stretched into a deeply troubled line as he shut his eyes. "Stella..." he whispered inaudibly. A vexed sigh left his lips. What the hell were they both doing? This was _NOT_ how today was supposed to go. He was supposed to hug her tightly and whisper nothing but words of how lucky he is to have her in his life. He was supposed to tell her how stunning she is in that mint gown. He was supposed to dance with her, kiss her, and make new memories.

But what did they do? What was he stuck with?

Oh, right! He was stuck with facing hell each time she walked with difficulty. He was forced to stay put and do nothing but watch her clutch her injured foot in pain and _deliberately_ wear heels, so she could prove some crazy point that brewed in her mind. Instead of her laughter, he heard her pleas and the agonizing sounds of her tears all day.

 _"I don't need your help and I don't want it!"_

That outburst of hers...it cut a nerve deeply and he just _snapped._

"Brandon," a thick voice interrupted his thoughts from behind. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. His brows instantly furrowed into a deep frown as he turned his head to the side. "What is it?" he said with a mild edge to his tone.

"Please just let me talk to you for a minute," Stella asked hoarsely, her eyes brewing with tears. She cautiously walked in front of him and barely maintained her stance to look him in the eye.

He remained silent. But Stella knew that he was willing to listen to her. He placed his hands in his pockets, averting his eyes away from her. With a sniffle, she willed herself to do this. His silence was better than his anger.

Brandon let out a surprised grunt and staggered back slightly when she lounged on him before wrapping her arms tightly around him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she choked out. I don't know what I did to push you away and I don't know how to fix this," she cried. "Please don't hate me," she sobbed. "Please," she begged. "I love you, Brandon," she sniffled. "I really love you. I'm sorry for everything that I've done," Stella said with tears in her eyes. "Your love is undoubtedly the best thing that has ever happened to me," she sniffled.

 _But...this isn't love._

"I'm sorry for hurting you," she sniffled.

 _This is revenge._

Fate was taking its revenge out on her. Surely, that has to be it.

Brandon's heart stopped beating for a second when he heard those words. A deep frown touched his eyes. He didn't push her away this time nor did he make any attempt to speak. It seems as if his voice just died for the time kept his gaze on her and saw that she was close to crying and breaking down right then and there.

He was angry, yes. He was ignoring her, yes. _Yes, yes, and YES!_ But he thought the less he talked to her, the better off she'll be. At least _that_ will save him from saying the wrong things and hurting her even more.

"I'm sorry I'm making you feel this way," she sniffled.

She suddenly pulled back out of the blue as he stared at her, barely any emotion being displayed on his face. "I love you," she sniffled, repeating it. Without another word, she kissed his cheek. Pulling back, she slowly stepped back from him. Her eyes continued to glisten before she finally turned around, quietly sending an involuntary prayer for waterproof eye makeup. She immediately went inside and before anyone could see her, she instantly escaped into a bathroom stall and started to cry to herself.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

The icy clot in his heart started to melt as Brandon watched her leave him. His eyes started to soften. His body still felt the heat from where she hugged the life out of him. He raised his hand almost shakily before touching the place where she just kissed him. Her cries and her silent pleas to love her again didn't fall on deaf ears. _Not anymore._ "I love you too," he whispered back softly with pained eyes. But it was too late. She was too faraway to hear and see.

Brandon closed his eyes, agreeing with her. He can't do this anymore.

 _Lost and helpless in his own version of hell...and all that for what? To prove a petty point?_

He understood now that he can't be angry at her anymore. She's...she's Stella. So what if she messed up? He wasn't exactly innocent either. So what if she hurt him? It's not like she did any of that knowingly. But him? Even though he didn't physically cause her any pain, he emotionally tarnished her.

With a deep frown, his hands fished to pull out the phone in his pockets to see how much time they had left. _9:25 PM._

 _Good,_ he sighed in relief, knowing now that the end was close at hand. He put his phone back in his pocket and blinked slightly in confusion when the weight of his phone pressed something hard into his thigh. Taking his phone out of the way, he fished around in his pocket, wondering what else is there. Pulling it out, his eyes widened as a low gasp left his throat. He gaped at the little, circular, metallic object.

 _A ring._

 _And not just ANY ring._

 _...It was Stella's wedding ring._

He blinked in shock as he stared at the band that used to be on her finger. "No," he whispered automatically, panic and bile rising to his throat. His eyes saddened when he realized just how upset she truly was. So upset that she went as far as thinking he didn't want or love her anymore. His eyes clouded with pain and guilt. _Oh, princess,_ he whispered sadly. While he was angry (he wouldn't lie about that), he never wanted to break up with her. The thought never crossed his mind and it never will. He shoved the ring back into the deepest folds of his pocket carefully before returning in a rush to the very slowly emptying hall.

Brandon sighed, knowing that he can't let this happen. That little ring was going right back on her finger. His eyes narrowed slightly as he searched for her again in the crowd. _Where'd you go already?_ he blinked in confusion. His eyes scoured around for her rampantly, scanning left and right among the people. He still when he finally saw that she was with the girls. She tried to smile and laugh along with something that they said, but he could tell just how much she's faking it. _For their sake._ She was faking her emotions, but knowing her, she was downright miserable. Her eyes would shift and stare at her hand whilst trying her best not to cry at the lighter patch of skin, where her ring had just been.

 _No, no, no,_ he softly tried to communicate with her telepathically. This was _NOT_ what he meant when he said he needed time. His eyes darted back and forth as he looked around for a way to talk to her.

He moved towards her only for his body to suddenly froze as his eyes locked onto a very familiar pair of piercing, icy blue eyes. He suddenly stopped in his footsteps when he saw none other than...

 _"Skylar...?!"_ he blinked in horror. His heart instantly stopped when he saw her in a dark red, cocktail dress. His eyes widened while his throat grew dry. What the _hell_ is she doing here?!

Blood drained away from his face when he realized that his parents were still here and will probably be amongst the last people to leave. _Oh, no. Dad,_ he gulped. His previous premonitions about his relationship with Stella vanished just like that as a new crisis possessed his body. His breaths became shallow and ragged as his eyes flashed back and forth for signs of his father. His chest rose and fell rapidly when he finally spotted his dad in a corner, chatting and laughing away with his mom. Without wasting another second, he bolted over to his dad immediately, pushing past people as politely, but as quickly as he could.

Heather turned to see him. "Hey, sweetie—" she started, but was firmly interrupted.

"Sorry, mom!" Brandon gasped before turning to Lucas with a panicked face.

Without harbingers, Brandon grabbed Lucas's arm and dragged him off. "What the—?!" the latter exclaimed, startled. Brandon pulled him aside while panic struck his features. "Son, are you alright?" Lucas asked in concern. The brunette wasn't. He was openly panicking, which was something Lucas was terrified of. Brandon vehemently shook his head in response before his eyes searched for the same set of blue eyes from earlier.

Brandon suddenly stopped when he caught sight of Skylar moments ago. He hoped that he was in some advanced stage of paranoia and hallucination, caused by his grief with Stella. Lucas's eyes narrowed in bemusement before he followed Brandon's line of sight.

Brandon stared at Skylar, whose eyes seem to be searching for someone (presumably him). When Lucas visibly stiffened and gasped slightly, Brandon realized that his father caught sight of her as well. Lucas looked just as horrified to see her here.

"You need to leave. You need to take mom and you need to get the hell out of here," Brandon glared, keeping an eye on the black-haired, blue-eyed, tall female. Lucas didn't need any other explanation. He was more than happy to comply.

The two glanced at each other before splitting into separate directions immediately.

While Lucas went off to do his task, Brandon merged into the crowd and made his way silently from behind Skylar. _How DARE she show up here! What more trouble did she want to cause?!_ "Well, if she thinks she can mess with _MY_ sister's wedding, she has another thing coming to her," he growled to himself.

Skylar suddenly gasped and jumped when she felt someone harshly grabbing her by the arm before leading her away from the crowd and into the dimly-lit private hall. Her eyes brightened when she saw that it was Brandon. But he could care less right now. He was already ticked off to begin with and these added tensions were only make his headache _worse._ Making sure that no one's watching, he shoved her inside one of the rooms that the bride's or groom's family could use for changing their outfits, etc.

"Brandon," she happily smiled at him, quite pleased that he found her himself.

"Cut the crap," Brandon slammed her forwardness. "What the hell are you doing here, Skylar?!" he growled.

Taken aback by his sudden outburst, Skylar blinked in surprise. "I was invited," she smiled, stunning him momentarily. "I wanted to congratulate Flora."

 _Flora invited her...?_ he thought, but then recalled that he couldn't care less. She had no right to be here, invite or not. "Congratulate how?! By drugging her drink?!" he snapped angrily.

Hurt flashed across her eyes. Did he really think that she'd do something like that? While she may have some pent-up rivalry built up with Stella, she had absolutely nothing on Flora.

 _"Skylar...?!" Flora gaped in surprise._

 _"Hi, Flora," Skylar smiled warmly at the brunette, whom she felt was like a younger sister to her._

 _"...Long time no see," the brunette whispered in shock._

And that's how Skylar was invited to the wedding. The reception was meant for a larger population than the ceremony, so that's what she received an invite for.

"...I'm not a monster," she whispered, taken aback that he would actually think that about her. "I knew I would upset you if I showed up any earlier, so that's why I came to congratulate her in the last minute."

Brandon glared at her explanations. That was her specialty. _Manipulation._ Skylar always had a way with persuading and manipulating people. And this time, it can't be any different. "Leave, Skylar," the brunette glared.

Tears pricked her eyes at the harshness of his tone. _Why?_ Why can't he look at her the same way he once used to!? "Why? Why do you hate me so much?!" she demanded, taking a few steps closer to him.

He glared at her. "Really?! You have the _nerve_ to ask me that?! After everything that you've done?!" he demanded just as fiercely.

Skylar sniffled. "All I've ever done is love you!" she snapped. "Why?! Why can't you understand how much I love you!?"

He scoffed. Should he really remind her? _The headlines during his birthday and now, the recent fight that happened between Stella and him._ It was ALL because of her. If she had just stayed away, then none of this would've happened. "You don't know the first thing about lo—" he started.

Skylar's eyes flashed with vehemence and anger at his brazen over-confidence. Before he could finish that sentence and insult her deep, unwavering love for him, she pushed him against the wall before wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. Brandon grunted in deep surprise when he felt a death grip. The next thing he knew was that he was being shoved back against the wall violently and a pair of lips viciously kissing him.

Lost in their own senses, they never realized that they had an audience. Stella gaped in shock when she saw them two kissing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she witnessed them locked in a passionate embrace. She saw enough. She instantly turned on her heel and ran off in the opposite direction as fast as she could.

* * *

 _ **A few minutes earlier...**_

Heather looked around quizzically, wondering where the heck her husband and son disappeared off to. _Men,_ she sighed grumpily. Honestly. One can never guess what goes through their minds.

To her relief, she spotted Stella, who was helping Flora with adjusting her dress. With a small smile, Heather made her way over to the blonde.

"Have any of you seen Brandon?" Heather asked in bemusement.

"No, why?" Flora asked curiously while Stella remained silent as if she didn't hear the question in the first place and continued fixing something that the brunette asked her to.

 _Yeah, I did. In fact, I just gave my ring to him, so he must be celebrating somewhere,_ she thought with hurt and tears nearly pricking her eyes.

"Stella, can you please look for him? I'll search for Lucas," Heather asked.

Stella resisted the urge to run away at her cursed fate. _Why? Why, oh, why does this happen to her?!_ "Sure," she faked a smile. The hall was a little more empty than it was an hour ago.

She sighed and decided to just get this over with, so she can go home and cry her heart out openly. She scanned the crowd as quickly as she could before guessing that he might've went to the restroom. Deciding to wait it out for him, she left the room again for the hundredth time before going down the hallway. She casually looked around, throwing quick glances at each of the open rooms.

She suddenly stopped in front of a room, where she saw...Brandon and... _S-Skylar?!_ Tears flooded immediately to her eyes at the way they were completely engrossed with each other. Brandon was tightly pressed to the wall and Skylar was all over him as they kissed deeply.

The tears that Stella had been holding all day erupted violently before dropping down her cheeks. She took a step back, horrified and heartbroken. She turned around before her heels rapidly clicked against the tiled surface as she ran away from them.

* * *

Stella entered the hall with tear-filled eyes, unable to hold back any longer. She found a dark corner before fishing out her phone from her purse. With shaky fingers, she let out a small, choked sob before dialing Heather's number.

Fortunately, Heather picked up in one ring. "Found them yet?" she asked.

"Heather!" Stella cried into the phone that made Heather gasp. She wiped away her tears helplessly before sniffling.

After firing off a few instructions into the phone, Heather was by Stella's side within minutes. She took the blonde out of the building. The blonde couldn't stop crying and barely registered the fact as Heather took her to a secluded side of the area.

After making sure that they were out of sight and earshot, Heather voiced her concern. "Stella? Honey, what's wrong?"

Stella started to cry into her hands. She felt absolutely horrible. She failed. She failed to keep her emotions in check. Despite trying her best to not break down in front of anyone and especially today, she couldn't. She couldn't keep her promise. "Why, Heather?! Why did you lie to me?!" she sobbed.

Heather's eyes narrowed into bemused concern. "What? What're you talking about?"

Stella stopped crying for a moment before looking up at the woman who has never treated her any less than a daughter. "You once told me that Brandon never had a girlfriend till date," Stella sobbed. "Why didn't you tell me about Skylar?!"

Heather's eyes softened. _Ahh._ So, this was about Skylar. _Are they still fighting by any chance...?_ she thought with a deep frown. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry. You weren't in a good place back then and neither was Brandon. It was one of the darkest times for both of you. Skylar did more harm than good. She broke him completely. We figured that in that moment, you deserved to be loved than be troubled," Heather gently explained. At that time, she didn't want her future daughter-in-law to feel conscious of herself or blame herself. She wanted her son to be happy and same for Stella.

Stella sniffled and shut her eyes, leaving a few tears to leak out from the tiny cracks. "Why? Then why did they break up if they loved each other so much?" she demanded to know. She never understood that. If they shared such a deep bond, why did they let each other go?!

Heather's eyes widened at the question. Her mood instantly dulled visibly as she recalled the emotionally tormented stage her son had to go through just to be human again. "...It's not my secret to tell, sweetie," Heather said sadly.

 _Well, with him cheating on her, she totally deserved to know!_ Stella glared. "I could care less about your morals right now. Heather, I need to know. Please."

Heather sighed. What was she to do now? With a deep sigh, she opened her lips to speak. "...He cheated on her," Heather said glumly with disappointed eyes.

Stella's eyes widened. Her jaw fell open. Her body froze immediately at this new piece of information. _W-What?_ she struggled to voice her words.

Heather continued grimly. "Brandon cheated on her. Lucas found out and then...everything just fell apart. She...she left him."

Watching Stella stare at her with wide eyes, Heather grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her slightly. "Stella, what's wrong?" she asked in concern.

 _...He cheated on her._

The words echoed over and over again in Stella's mind. As she processed them and with each moment that passed, tears cascaded down her cheeks.

The next reply from Stella silenced Heather at once.

 _"When you ignore history, you're bound to repeat it."_

All that she knew was...

 _Brandon and Skylar were kissing._

Although she gave her ring away, one can't move on that fast. _Meaning..._

 _Brandon cheated on her._

And that means...

 _He chose her._

 _Brandon Shields chose Skylar Black._

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapter:**_

 _"There's no 'we' anymore. We're done."_

 _..._

* * *

OKAY! Oh my god, the chapter's finally up! The reason why I haven't updated in so long is because of the HORRENDOUS wedding scene. I wasn't able to write it AT ALL. That's why it took so freaking long to update. The entire chapter WITHOUT the wedding sequence (from getting ready and all the way till the reception) is around _29,300+_ words and I was done with like 90% of it about three weeks ago.

 **Note:** I'm not married and I've never been a bridesmaid, so I don't know how weddings really work. I mean, duh, I know the basic etiquette, but not the in-depth process. I tried my best to research, but they are probably some things that I got wrong. I spent almost 3-4 hours researching about how weddings work, what are the timelines, and what not because 1) I didn't want to look like an idiot and 2) I didn't want to offend anyone. But correct me if I'm wrong :) I'm interested in knowing :)

Anyways! The entire chapter is _**38,700++ words!**_ Eeeeeekk, longest chapter I ever wroteeee! :D

A PEEK into behind-the-scenes: The entire chapter was actually a whopping length _**57,000 words.** _I had to delete about 18,000 of them because the length was getting ridiculous, to be honest. I had to break up the chapter because it was already WAY TOO LONG and I think people will be bored and irritated xD

 _I'll probably UPDATE this chapter one more time because I personally think that most of the scenes, especially near the ending, were rushed and a little chaotic. But I'm super, super busy this week and I won't be able to come online that frequently the two weeks after that. So, I really wanted to post this before I go on another hiatus again._

 _ **2 more chapters to go!**_

I would _**love**_ reviews because I honestly feel like I haven't updated in years. I HOPE that the next update is fairly sooner lol. Plus, my fingers will be happy haha.

And guys, just a small note: Please try not to start any drama. _**The more constructive/nicer you are, the faster I'll be able to update ^.^**_

 _ **Next date of update: Sometime between March 24th - April 1st**_

 **Thank you! Have a _great_ day, you guys!**


	33. Truths Unveiled

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **A** _ **VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS: PinkiePie24!**_ To one of the most beautiful, lovable, kind, and fierce girls I ever met: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! I hope you have a blast! Be crazy, make mistakes, and let loose! Happy Birthday, PinkiePie24! ^.^ I love you! I hope this birthday is one of the best days of your life as it should be haha. Keep smiling always and don't _ever_ change yourself ^.^ :) Since I can't send you a real gift, I hope this chapter makes up for it (:

 **EVERYBODY:** _ **Spam this girl with love!**_ **^.^**

* * *

 **To one of the reviewers:**

 **Stellz4Eva:** You're so sweet, thank you! As for your question, I say, just write from your heart and give it a shot. It's the best advice that anyone can really give. Grammar/punctuation/spelling are secondary (but _just as important)_. I'm guessing that you need help constructing a plot, perhaps? I have four major things that I do want to say and please don't take them the wrong way. This is just my personal opinion and is not meant to offend or hurt anyone.

1\. If you're going to kill off a character, then make sure that we know enough about them in order to mourn for them. Or they'll just be dying in vain.

2\. Avoid cliched plots as best as you can. _(ex: "hero is a bad boy, but he finds that shy nerd with glasses interesting."_ I don't read these stories anymore because there are literally ten million copies of it roaming on the internet.)

3\. As a reader, I don't want a twist at each and every turn. And by twist, I mean, we don't want the clumsy heroine to suddenly show her badge as a government agent. It doesn't make sense and it will VERY hard for you to convince us otherwise. Instead of that, give us a little intro about her and let us know that she'll be an adorable, clumsy, little fool.

4\. Avoid unbelievable coincidences. Make the story as realistic as you can. If the guy and girl break up and move to different places, unless and until it's deliberately planned or they got a hint or whatever, the chances of them meeting again in an England coffee shop are infinitismally small to nil. Oh and if the guy got shot twenty times in the chest, he technically _should_ die. There is no 'if' or 'but' that can save the poor soul. He should be taking the nearest bus to heaven.

I try to avoid all these when I write. I probably failed at one or two, but the best thing I can do is ensure that it doesn't happen again. As an author, I don't want to write a story that's already been written. I want to write something new. My best advice: put that beautiful imagination to good use ;)

* * *

 **With that said, hope everyone enjoys Chapter 33,** _ **especially**_ **the birthday girl ^.^! I was serious. Feel free to spam PinkiePie24 ^.^**

* * *

 **~ 9:10 PM ~**

Brandon's eyes widened to the size of saucers when Skylar pounced on him like a tiger. She crushed him to the wall, kissing him passionately. He grunted as he collided with the concrete behind him. Freezing momentarily in shock, he collected his senses before his eyes scrunched in puzzled anger. All the times he freezed in his tracks at the mere sight of her, all the times he panicked and ran in the opposite direction, all the times he hid himself in his office just so that he can reduce his chances of bumping into her in the hallways... _ALL_ of those cowardice-filled memories rushed to him. It's because of _HER_ that he's like this.

 _Wrong._

 _It's because of ME that she's like this,_ he thought with nothing but shame. It's because of his foolish cowardice that she's like this today. His thick tension turned into coarse anger as blood rushed to his brain.

With a vexed and angry growl, Brandon violently pushed her away before a petrified, shocked gasp emit from the base of her throat. "What the hell?!" he hissed before wiping his mouth furiously back and forth with the sleeve of his tux, not caring about the satin red lipstick stain that it left behind.

Skylar gaped at him as he continued wiping his mouth rampantly in an attempt to get her taste off. It hurt. It really hurt.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Brandon hissed, throwing her a death glare.

She blinked back tears at his constant rebuking. Why is he so harsh with her?

 _Doesn't he remember me anymore?_ she sniffled. _Doesn't he remember?_ "I-I t-thought—"

"Well, you thought wrong!" he snapped angrily, cutting her off mid-sentence. "How could you possibly think that?! How loudly should I scream that I'm with someone else!?"

Skylar winced at his tone. He looked royally pissed off. He was never like that when he was with her. _See?_ This just proves it. He changed. That blonde _twit_ changed him and not for the better. "She stole you away from me!" she cried madly, pointing an accusing finger towards him. "You were supposed to love _ME_. _NOT HER._ "

"Well, I'm glad that I love her and not you," he snapped. "What I do with my life is _NONE_ of your goddamn business. Not anymore," Brandon hissed, throwing her a fierce death glare. "Don't you _EVER_ touch me again."

She scoffed at his overconfidence. Did he honestly think that his little 'relationship' will last? Skylar wondered what would've happened if Stella had seen _THIS._ Oooooh, now she regretted it. She should've staged the perfect moment to kiss him and let the blonde break up with him. It would've been like _hitting two birds with one stone..._

"Pretty soon, she'll probably break up with you too," she said haughtily with a luscious air of confidence. Her eyes suddenly widened she mock-gasped. "Oh, wait, her mom is dead, isn't she?"

Brandon's lips parted in shock at her words. He looked as if he's been slapped left and right. It hurt her immensely to see him like that, but she tried not to let that show.

"...Is that what this is about?" he asked with a shocked whisper. "Revenge? Revenge for what happened to us?"

Skylar scoffed with reddening eyes. "Revenge?" she sniffled with tears pricking her eyes. "Will it get me anywhere? I came back because I wanted you!" she screeched madly.

Brandon looked down with a shameful sigh. "Well...you can't," he said silently. "I'm married, Skylar. I have a wife. I love her," he said before remembering what he really needed to do. He moved past her, having said his point and pretty much done with this going-nowhere and going-in-circles conversation. He had a mistake that he needed to fix and he had a woman that he needed to win back over.

"Your family broke my family. But here you all are, celebrating a grand occasion," she sniffled, making him stop in his tracks.

Brandon's feet remained entrenched as she reminded him of the one thing that hurt his soul. He shut his eyes in pain.

"Heather...she has no idea, does she?" Skylar whispered with a sniffle. "She's happy. Isn't she? How is that fair?"

"...It's not," he said silently.

"She deserves to know," Skylar stated with a glare. "She deserves that much, at least."

"Let _me_ worry about that," he said.

Skylar sniffled as a few tears leaked down her eyes. "...Who's next, Brandon? Whose heart are you keen on breaking next?"

Brandon turned around to face her with guilt-riddled eyes. "...It goes both ways, Sky. Helena wasn't innocent either. You need to remember that. You also need to remember that it was _YOU_ who left me. I loved you. I waited every waking second for you. I nearly got myself arrested because of you. I nearly killed myself because of you. But you didn't come back. So...instead of asking me that question, ask it yourself first."

"...Will your precious little girlfriend ever know? Will she ever know what was taken from me?" Skylar asked with heartbreak.

Brandon looked down with a defeated sigh. It's because that she _didn't_ know that she's upset. It's because she _didn't_ know that she was afraid to talk to him. And he wanted, _no,_ he _needed_ that to change. If that's the cost it'll take for him to have her back, then that's what he'll do. He'll tell her. He will. It may hurt him to even breathe about it, but...it has to be better than this. "...She will," he said softly, answering her question.

With that, he sharply turned around and left the room, leaving Skylar to struggle with herself. There was a time where he'd drop everything to see her. He would be willing to go to any length to make sure that she's okay. Even a _hint_ of a frown was enough for him to turn livid and want to have a word with whoever's responsible. But now? None of that existed. Not anymore, at least. His love ceased to exist. She sniffled as she slumped weakly to her knees before letting out her final tears of defeat.

Brandon rushed out of the room and paced down the hallway before disappearing into the banquet hall. With anxious eyes, he quickly scanned the slowly emptying room before letting out a cursed sigh when he didn't see the familiar dashes of golden blonde locks. All day, he had watched her. He had _ALL. DAY._ to make contact with her, to talk to her, to let her know that he still loved her and that he always will.

Brandon walked quickly down the hallway before disappearing into the banquet hall. His eyes scanned through the remaining people, frowning when he didn't see Stella.

He felt coarsed guilt twist his gut. He instantly took out his phone before dialing her number. He held it anxiously in his ear. "Please pick up," he whispered as the phone continued ringing, showing no signs of being answered. His heart racked with guilt. All this time he's been screaming her head off, but what the hell did he do?! _Oh, right!_ He's been making out with none other than his ex! Forced or not, that's what he was doing!

He dialed her number again but it was of no use. The call went straight to her voicemail. He shoved the phone back into his pocket again, wondering what to do now. He needed to see her and talk to her.

His eyes widened slightly in hope when he spotted Sky, Flora, and Helia laughing together at something. Maybe they know where she is. The brunette instantly rushed over to them. "Guys, have you seen Stella?" he asked anxiously.

Helia looked clueless. Sky paused for a moment before scratching his head. "Coming to think of it, no. I haven't."

Flora chipped in. "Oh. Mom said that Stella wasn't feeling too well. They went home and I think even dad left," the brunette said.

Brandon shut his eyes, cursing himself.

"Why? Is everything okay?" Helia asked in concern.

Brandon shook his head. "It's fine. Thanks," he said in somewhat of a rush before his fingers fished around for his phone.

He sighed, knowing that there'll be no use. She won't pick up. Meaning...

 _He's too late._

But that doesn't mean that he'll stop trying.

 _Not now._

 _Not ever._

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

* * *

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's House - 9:45 PM ~**

Locking herself in one of the guest bedrooms upstairs, Stella cried hopelessly. She didn't just see what she thought she saw, right? She didn't see that. This is _NOT_ happening. It just isn't. It can't.

Tears spilled messily down her cheeks as images of Skylar and Brandon flashed in front of her eyes. Skylar is a beautiful woman. In fact, she's too beautiful and stunning. It just wasn't fair. They would probably make the perfect couple too. They're both so good looking.

Her body shook with heartbreak. She struggled to keep herself together. She practically told Heather to leave her alone earlier. The room was a mess even though she got here barely five minutes ago.

Her heels were kicked off to the side. The beautiful, mint dress was placed aside in a disarray. She just grabbed something randomly from Flora's closet, not carely what ensemble she put on. That dress scorched on her skin and it only reminded her what a miserable day today was.

She sat against the room's door and cried her heart out. She sniffled at the sound that suddenly through the air and looked beside her. Stella glared at the ringing phone through her tears.

 _Brandon._

He's been calling her for a while now and she's been very so inconveniently ignoring him. It hurt. It hurt so much. Not an hour goes by where she wouldn't hope he calls her but now...now _she's_ the one ignoring him. What's the point of picking up anyway? He'll probably just yell at her again and remind her of what a screw-up she was.

That isn't love. _That's revenge._

He could've called her so many times. She waited so long for him. He didn't want her then.

 _NOW he wants to talk!? After EVERYTHING he put me through, NOW? Now he wants to talk!?_ "Too late, Brandon," she sniffled before crying harder. She started to sob frantically and in despair.

He didn't just ignore her. He broke her heart. He cruelly broke her heart. He never really loved her, did he? _No...he didn't,_ she sobbed into her knees. Why else would he cheat on her like this?

She sobbed at the whiter patch of skin that remained on her finger where her ring had been earlier.

Maybe...maybe they were having an affair behind her back all along. Maybe that's why he went offline and MIA a week or two before his birthday.

Stella cried harder at that possibility. She trusted him so much. She trusted him to protect her heart. He didn't. She gave everything to him.

 _Her heart..._

 _Her love..._

 _And her body..._

But it wasn't enough for him. None of that was good enough for him. Drawing her knees closer to her chest, she cried into them, not knowing to do. Her emotions flew all over the place and grew more and more fragile by the second.

The phone stopped ringing for a while before it blared again with the song she set specifically for his calls. Her eyes watered furiously as she blurrily glanced through them to see the contact picture she set for him. It was a candid picture of him laughing at something she couldn't care less right now.

How _dare_ he call her now?! What more did he want now from her? With an angry glare, she picked it up and screamed into the phone. "DON'T TALK TO ME! GO BE WITH HER!" she yelled into the phone before hanging up aggressively.

Meanwhile, back at the reception hall, Brandon nearly dropped his phone in shock. _What the—?!_ he thought in straight-up panic before realization dawned on him. _No...don't tell me..._ he closed his eyes in disappointment before cursing out loud. She saw that, didn't she? _Brilliant._ Trust her to show up at the wrong time at the wrong place.

Without wasting any more time, he quickly bid his goodbyes without arousing too much suspicion before booking a cab to go home.

* * *

 **~ 10:30 PM ~**

Brandon hopped out of the cab before checking at the time. He cursed New York's traffic. He climbed up the porch and pushed the door open, thankful that it's not locked. He stormed inside his parents' house before racing upstairs. Following the blonde's muffled cries, he went down the hallway before stopping at the doorway of the closed bedroom.

With a hesitant look in his eyes, he curled his fingers before knocking on the door with his knuckles.

He heard a soft gasp from the inside and through the shadows that flickered around from beneath the door, he guessed that she must've been sitting against it. "Stella?" he called out.

 _..._

 _Silence._

 _..._

He sighed tiredly. "Stell, I know you're in there, so please open the door."

He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a bunch of shuffling on the inside. _Finally!_ he thought, relieved.

Seconds passed but he still stood there in confusion, feeling like an idiot. After what felt like an eternity, he blinked when he saw a small paper slide from underneath the door. He picked it up and read it, only to sigh a moment later.

 _ **Stella's not here.**_

"Okay, I deserve that," he softly said, tossing the paper aside.

Stella's eyes flooded with tears. No, he deserves a hell of a lot more than that. All day, he couldn't stop yapping about he felt betrayed. He's the one to talk about betrayal! What about what he did to her?! With what face did he come up here again? She thought she was very clear in the phone earlier. _Apparently not._ Fumed out of her mind, she turned to throw open the door.

"Stell, please. Open the—" he started but took a step back in surprise when the door suddenly flung open in rage.

Stella glared at him as she held the door, ready to slam it in his face again. "Leave. Me. _Alone,_ " she seethed in sheer fury.

His eyes glazed over at her appearance. She had long changed out of her dress and was now in mere jeans and a simple t-shirt. Her eyes were a bright red from crying so much. Tears still cascaded down her cheeks in waterfalls, running over the sticky, dried stains.

It pricked his heart to see her like that though she might not believe it right now. "Sunshine—" he started desperately.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" she shrieked madly with tears flowing down her cheeks. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" she wept, throwing him a death glare. She resisted the urge to pull her hair out.

"Stel, it's really not what it looked like," he softly said with sincerity.

A loud scoff escaped her throat. "The infamous dialogue a cheater uses when it is _exactly_ how it looks like." She let out a choked, helpless sob before turning around, unable to face him anymore. "Leave me alone, Brandon," she asked. "Please."

He didn't pay her any attention. Instead, he stepped into the room before shutting it close. Grabbing her arm, he turned her to face him. "No. Please talk to me," he asked.

 _Did he just say that?_ She stared at him. "What do you think I've been trying to do all day?!" she cried, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "You hated me all day," she broke down. "You didn't even care about me!" she cried.

A thin layer of mist obscured his vision as he listened to her speak. His eyes grew hazy.

"As if that wasn't enough...you and her...," she sobbed, trailing off. She felt her throat constrict at the million lumps that choked her. It hurt too much. It hurt too much to even think about it. Never in a million years did she imagine him hurting her like _this._

Her body racked with sobs before her voice fell into a furious whisper. "You hated me. You hated me so much. And all for that? Oh, right! For merely bumping into your crazy ex-girlfriend! And what about you!? You seemed awfully comfortable with her!"

An involuntary tear slipped down his cheek at her pain. She looked so hurt and vulnerable that his heart numbed in agony to see her like this. Her accusations hurt more than anything. Did she really believe that he would betray her? _Like this?_ Was she that shaken with rage that she allowed it to blind her to see the real truth?

Another tear warmed his cheek. How can he blame her though? Maybe if he had taken the time to talk to her instead of push her a million miles away, she'd be in his arms right now, ready to listen. _But nooooooo._ Fate really has a way to poke its nose where it clearly doesn't belong. All the beautiful moments he created with her were tainted by what he showed her the past two days.

He's a monster, isn't he? Hurting the woman he loved and _still_ claiming to love her? _Who does that?_ At that moment, the ring that was in his pocket weighed his body down. He felt its weight and its titanic power. That ring is useless on its own. The ring is powerful and magical when and only when it's tightly tethered to another one fighting to protect it. Until then, it's just a piece of fancily forged metal.

He understood. Their relationship was dangerously hanging on a thin thread. And that thread is just cruelly sitting there, _waiting_ to break at the slightest amount of pressure. He can't let that happen. He just can't. He loved this woman way too much to let her go. He's worth nothing without her. His life with mean nothing and will remain void without her.

With desperate eyes, he looked at her with tears falling down his cheeks as well. "I love you, Stell. I never meant to hurt you," he sniffled, stepping closer to her.

Stella's eyes widened at his words as she instantly stepped away from him. _Did he just say love?_ she thought in incredulity. "Love?" she scoffed, but the hurt in her tone was evident. "You don't know the first thing about love!" she sniffled. "All you know is lie to the people around you!" she accused him with a glare. "You used me for your own amusement," she sniffled. "I was just someone who was willing to dance to any tune you play," she said with heartbreak.

"No," he denied vehemently. Tears stormed to his eyes at her words. "That's not fair," he whispered in hurt. "That's not true. You know that's not true."

"Then where were you? Where were you all day? Where were you yesterday? Where were you when I called and texted you, begging you to come back, so we can actually talk?!" she screamed, her voice rising, not really caring that Heather was just downstairs within earshot.

He stood there speechless, not knowing what to say or how to defend himself to that. _As if he even deserved a defense in the first place._ He honestly didn't know how to fix this. "I'm so sor—" he started.

"Don't," she whispered, covering his mouth instantly with her hand. "Don't you _dare_ apologize to me, Brandon," she glared, warning him as she withdrew her hand. "Because this is the routine for you. This is who you are. You push me away, you say the most hurtful things, you pretty much vandalize our home — oh, wait. My mistake. That's not my home anymore, is it?" she mused hollowly.

"No, no, no, please. Please don't say that, Stell," he sniffled. He didn't want to live in a home without her in it.

"Oh, I'm 'Stell' now?" she scoffed. "What happened to bitch and moron?" she mocked bitterly. "I thought those were _very_ apt," she chuckled hollowly.

Shame flashed across his eyes. His mouth remained shut as he stared at her, speechless.

But she didn't care. He really needed to hear this. He needs to understand that there's only so much of crap someone can take. "All this time you hated me because I talked to her. All I did was bump into her and talk to her for a measly two minutes, which _she_ invited me to! And even if I did go behind your back, I deserved to! She drugged my freaking drink and it's a miracle I didn't kill her till now!" she yelled.

"Do you know why we fight all the damn time? Because you're a liar," she cried. "You're not open. You don't trust me enough to tell me _anything._ I have to find out everything on my own or something has to happen to me in order for you to say something. Just...just leave, Brandon," she declared with puffy eyes. "I'm done. I'm done with you and I'm done with your drama."

 _Drama?_ he sniffled. Really? _Drama!?_ He's the one full of drama? Not her? "What about you?" he asked with tearful eyes. "Did you _ever_ trust me!? _EVER?!"_

He continued. "Even when everyone pointed fingers at you, I chose to believe you," he said, his eyes swirling with tears. "I believed and still believe you with all of my heart. It's a shame you don't have the same faith in me. I found you naked. What does that tell me about you?!"

Stella scoffed. All of that didn't even _measure_ up to what he did to her right now. It's already been established that she didn't do anything wrong. And besides, it's not _just_ today. This fight stemmed from roots deeper than that. And she'd be damned if she didn't let him in on that. "At least I wasn't the one who cheated on you. You cheated on Skylar years ago and you cheated on me today. I say you deserve every bit of the pain life tosses at you," she hissed.

Her eyes softened and she instantly regretted her tone when he swallowed a lump down his throat. He looked as if he's been slapped and whether he believed it or not, _that_ hurt. He was trying very hard not to look panicked and she could see that. He hung his head shamefully, barely being able to look her in the eye. He's scared. He's scared that she would break it off with him. _For good._

She's scared of that too. Tears rolled rapidly down her face, mimicking his vulnerable gaze on her. "Why? Why should we even keep trying...?" she cried. "Maybe...we're not...maybe, we're just not meant to be," she said, biting her lip in torment and looking away from him. Never in an eternity did she imagine saying those words.

He lifted his head up at her words. He stopped breathing as his world filled itself with black and white. His lungs heaved and soon, he knew that there was no way he's letting her go. He can't. He closed the gap between them as he gathered her in his arms. His thumbs caressed her face as he stared heart-brokenly at her. "Don't say that, Stell. Please," he begged. "Not you...I didn't cheat on you, Stell," he whispered with tearful eyes. "I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't do that to you."

She remained quiet at his words. Instead, she looked away from him. "Is that what you told Skylar?" she whispered.

"Please. Okay, let's go home and I'll tell you—" he started in desperation to have her back at any cost.

"It's too late for that," she cut him off. "I'm sorry, Brandon," she cried. "But I can't do this anymore. I'm done. I'm done with you and I'm done with us. We're...we're just not meant to be," she repeatedly as more tears rained down on her face. "I deserve better than being lied to," she whispered with a sniffle.

His lips parted open at her soft words. He understood the underlying meaning. She didn't believe him. Or, maybe she did. He didn't know. But she's right. No one deserved that. He's a mess from within. But who cares about that now? It's pointless to argue over spilled milk. The damage is done.

 _They were done. Over._

And this time... _for good._

He stared at her as fresh tears wallowed in his broken, brown eyes. "Since the moment I met you, you've brought me nothing but happiness," he whispered before abruptly pulling her into a tight hug that made her squeak out in surprise. "And...I suppose it's my turn now," he said, trying to get a hold of his voice but failing miserably. "Be happy, Stell. Be happy," he sniffled while pressing his lips tightly against her forehead.

Tears flew down her cheeks as he held her. A fresh wave of sobs left her lips as she cried into his chest. She didn't want this. This wasn't fair. They were supposed to have fun, dance, and party! But they couldn't do that. And it was HIS fault. _And all because..._

"You changed, Brandon," she hiccuped sorrowfully. "This isn't the kind of love that I want," she sobbed. "Your moods change so much that you'd rather push me away than talk to me," she cried.

He pulled away from her before lifting her chin to face him. "Do you believe that? Do you really believe that I cheated on you?" he whispered. He would be shattered if she answered yes.

She looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Yes. You did. She was invited to the reception. She was in that room with you, away from everyone else. And...you did more with her than you did with me today. Attending the damn wedding was the hardest thing that I ever had to do and that's because of YOU!"

Tears filled his eyes. "Whether or not we're together, I will prove to you that I didn't cheat on you," he vowed, making her a promise that he intended to keep at any cost.

"You can start by leaving me alone," she sniffled, pushing him away and breaking away from his arms.

She watched him with glassy, puffy, red eyes as he, hoping that she'll stop him, stepped away from her. She collapsed to her knees when he disappeared around the room and into the hallway. She cried into her hands, heartbroken. She didn't want this. She just wanted to forget everything and go back to him. But she can't. What she saw in that room was the final straw. She'll never be able to bear it if, by a fateful reason, he harbored feelings for her.

 _"We were in a relationship. A very serious relationship."_

 _"...How serious?"_

 _"...I loved her...she was my first."_

She shut her eyes at those words. What if it was still true? To this day? She wouldn't be able to bear that. _Not now and not in an eternity._

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Brandon's eyes watered as he descended down the stairs slowly. He wiped his tears away, but it was futile. His eyes continued to wet his lashes and blur his vision. He thought back to when they got together again.

It was only five months ago. They were together for _barely_ five months. Has it really been that short? He felt as if he never left her side.

 _Brandon sat in the living room, deep in thought. The bell rang suddenly, jolting him up from his reminiscing reverie. He hastily got up to open the door. He was excited and thrilled, to say the least._

 _"I'm homeeeee!" Stella sang with joy, dragging her stuff inside._

 _He watched her smile and couldn't help but follow along too. He pulled her tightly into his embrace. "Don't ever leave me again," he asked in a small, vulnerable tone._

 _Her smile fell short before she replied sadly. "I was never leaving you, Brandon. I was waiting for you to ask me to stay."_

He sniffled at that memory. And now, his beautiful Sunshine, his pride, and his joy asked him to leave her alone. He didn't know what to do.

 _Together at Christmas, but apart before Easter..._

 _Wow._

He went back to reality as he nearly reached the end of the stairs. His eyes widened to see his mother standing at the bottom, tapping her foot quite impatiently as she waited for him expectantly.

"Mom?" he whispered weakly.

"Why?" Heather icily glared at him. "Why did you come here?"

He blinked in shock. "What?" he choked out with difficulty.

Their attention suddenly redirected temporarily when they heard the front door open and Lucas entered before closing it behind him. He had a small frown on his face as he waltzed into the living room, deep in thought. He stopped when he saw his wife and son standing beside the stairs. Glancing back and forth at him, Lucas's frown deepened when he saw a very much pissed off Heather and a...teary-eyed Brandon...?

He blinked in concern, worry, and curiosity. _What had happened?_ he paled slightly. _Is this about...her?_ "Heather, what's wrong?" he asked, petrified and completely clueless, having just appeared fresh on the scene.

Heather ignored him, however. Instead, her gaze was set on her so-called, cheating son. "I asked you why you're here. _Get. OUT_ ," Heather glared at him mercilessly, pointing her hand towards the front door.

"Excuse me?" Lucas's eyes widened in disbelief. "Heather, what are you doing?"

"What I'm doing?" Heather scoffed at Lucas before turning to Brandon. "No, no, no, you should ask what _HE_ did," she hissed angrily, before pointing accusingly at the brunette and throwing him an unforgiving glare.

Brandon's eyes filled with tears again. "Mom...I'm sorry—"

A loud crack of skin contacting skin silenced every possible sound in the house as Brandon's head suddenly snapped to the right at the force of the hit. The pain stung fiercely as his hand shakily touched his burning cheek. But he knew he deserved it. It was _nothing_ compared to the hell he was in right now.

At the echo of the screeching slap, Stella gasped and nearly jumped out of her skin. With tears flowing furiously, she flew out of her room and raced to the stairs. She sniffled, stopping midway, when she saw Brandon's head snapped firmly to the side as his palm ghosted over his cheek.

Tears of shame spilled down his cheeks as Brandon struggled not to cry out loud. This was it. He went too far and destroyed his entire character in the blink of an eye. _AGAIN._

He didn't feel like he had a purpose anymore. He didn't feel like he had a reason to live anymore.

"Heather!" Lucas shouted in disbelief. "What are you doing?!" he yelled before hurrying over to the brunette. He pulled his wife back as she angrily glared at her so-called son.

"NO! He should know that what he did was wrong!" Heather yelled angrily before silencing Lucas once again. "Don't you _dare_ tell me how to parent him, Luke!"

Lucas sighed in defeat before placing his arm on his son's back. "Let's talk about this, okay?" he asked in concern.

"There's NOTHING to talk about!" Heather yelled angrily. "He cheated on his so-called wife and all he has to say is sorry!?"

Stella saw his body quiver from behind and descended down the remaining stairs in a rush. And that's when Lucas noticed his daughter-in-law. Stella looked devastated.

Brandon glanced at her with ashamed, broken eyes and that only made her tears flow faster. She hated seeing him like this. The devastation, guilt, and vulnerability in his eyes scared her more than anything.

Heather glanced beside him and saw that Stella was crying silently. "Look at her. She's crying for you when you clearly don't deserve it!" she seethed.

The brunette hung his head in shame. He could barely breathe, let alone do anything in his defense. What was he going to defend himself against anyway?

 _EVERYTHING he ever worked for..._

 _His life, his bane of existence, his...love..._

They were all gone just like that in the blink of an eye. His chest hurt as his heart bled faster. He felt so _dead_ and hollow on the inside and wondered how he's still alive with this kind of heartache.

Heather fiercely glared with no mercy. He cheated once and repented for it for years! How _DARE_ he repeat that again?! "You are _disgusting._ You cheated?! Did you actually cheat on someone you claim to still love?!"

"Mom..." he whispered weakly while tears streamed down his cheeks.

"NO! The day you went against everything I ever taught you is the day you're no longer my son!" Heather harshly rebuked.

Lucas looked over at Brandon in deep concern, who looked like he was breaking down. The former frowned deeply. "Heather...stop. That's enough. Please," he started, "It might've been an a-accident," he tried to reason before his wife silenced him a wild and ferocious look.

"ACCIDENT?!" Heather yelled in incredulity, raging up once more at the ludicrousness of the comment. "You accidentally spill milk, you accidentally break glass, _BUT YOU._ _ **DON'T**_ _. ACCIDENTALLY. CHEAT. LUCAS!_ "

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Heather hissed angrily as she turned towards Brandon again.

Lucas folded his hand into a fist at the harsh tone. The house was too tense to be in it right now, much less hear all this. The brunette looked up slightly at his mother's words before sparing his struggling father a glance. Saying no more, he continued to grieve for his impending loss again.

"Do you?! You emotionally broke an innocent girl for your own amusement! How many more girls will you toy with?!" she continued to fire angrily.

"Heather..." Lucas warned with a low tone.

But Heather paid no heed. "First, it was Skylar. Now, STELLA?! How many more girls, Brandon?! How many more hearts do you need to break?!" Heather yelled in mad rage. No, she won't have her daughter-in-law, who's now just as worth as her own daughter, suffer at the hands of her injudicious son!

Taking a deep breath at the accusations and having heard enough, Lucas fiercely opened his eyes. "ENOUGH!" he shouted, making Heather gasp loudly and turn to him with wide, shocked eyes. Stella jumped out of her skin at Lucas's tone and nearly shrieked in fear.

"THAT'S. _ENOUGH_ ," he hissed with holding up his hand as a firm warning.

Brandon's head shot up in shock before his eyes widened in disbelief. Seeing his father's resolve and determination, the brunette stopped breathing at once. "Dad. No," he sniffled. "Please don't."

Lucas turned to the twenty-five-year-old and sadly smiled at his boy. "It took you five years to call me dad..." he sighed before dabbing his eyes at the moisture that accumulated suddenly. "I'm sorry, son."

He turned towards his wife, who still appeared confused and flabbergasted by the sudden interruption.

Lucas took a step forward in deep guilt before closing his eyes for a moment. He opened them again soon before his face slowly hardened. Oh, how he hated himself. This'll be worth it. This is something that he should've done a _long_ time ago. A day hasn't gone by where he didn't think of this. A day hasn't gone by where a looming, dark cloud hasn't weighed his head down. He's been looking for the right time to tell her this. But...days eventually turned into weeks, weeks to months, and months to years... _until..._ the streak broke _today._

 _TODAY of all days._

 _What a bloody coincidence._

His daughter's wedding, while it gave her a new family...it threatened to break two relationships. This definitely won't be a day that he'll celebrate for years to come.

"Five years ago..." Lucas started with tears in his eyes. "It wasn't him who cheated," he admitted. "...It was me."

Heather's eyes shot up to the roof as she instantly froze at those words. _W-W-What?_ she gulped in impending fear and terror. Her eyes widened unblinkingly at this new twist of fate. _What the holy hell?_ Her heart stopped and her body froze in place. A long silence passed but she still stood petrified in her stance.

"...It was me who cheated on you...with Helen," Lucas whispered painfully with guilt written all over his face.

Brandon sniffled as his complete attention diverted to his mom. "Mom...?" his heart sped up in panic. She didn't move. She didn't flinch. She kept staring at Lucas in shock with her hands frozen in air from her previous gestures. "Mom, say something, please!" Rushing to her, Brandon cried and shook her hard by the shoulders.

A sharp gasp left her throat as Heather stared at Lucas with wide eyes. Reality sank in as emotions started to break through her face. "W-What did you s-say?" she asked in a whisper as her voice cracked.

Lucas closed his eyes as a tear slid down his eye. "I'm...I'm so sorry, Heather. It was an accident. I never meant to...it just happened and I...I've regretted it since the moment I did it."

At those words, Heather's dam broke. Hot, burning tears rolled down her cheeks. A deep look of betrayal and treachery crossed her face. Her whole world came crashing down within seconds and burnt into ash. "..." Heather remained silent. She didn't know what to say or how to react. The tears never stopped flowing deeply down her normally pleasant face.

"Mom..." Brandon sniffled while placing his arms around her.

That's when Heather knew that this wasn't a cruel joke. This was reality. This was real. Her feet moved as she pushed her so-called son away. "Don't you touch me!" she yelled. "You knew about this, didn't you?!"

His guilt-ridden eyes showed her the answer she needed.

Heather stared at him, betrayed. _THIS_ is what you call true betrayal. "...That's why you hated him all these years..." she whispered, suddenly realizing. The truth was swimming right in front of her eyes all along and she never realized.

Stella, meanwhile, had no clue on what to do. Truthfully, it's none of her business. This was a very personal argument and she wanted to leave, feeling horrible at being stranded in such an intimate fight.

Brandon's eyes watered and he felt like dying at the sound of his mother's choked voice. This was why he kept this matter hidden in the dark for all these years. Did everyone think it was easy for him to hold such a burdening secret on the top of his head?! "I didn't want you to be like this..." he sniffled while tears slipped past his face.

Lucas glanced at his son. This wasn't his fault. He shouldn't have to bear the guilt for something he did not do. "Heather, please—" Lucas started, but she didn't even give him a chance to speak.

"YOU SHUT IT, YOU COWARDLY, PATHETIC _SNAKE!_ " she screeched madly with betrayal. Lucas bowed down in shame.

She turned back to her son before a different form of treachery crossed her face. "You knew all along...and you didn't tell me...?" she whispered with hurt while giving him a deeply wounded look.

"Mom, I didn't want you to be this way," Brandon confided. "I was scared of what's going to happen to you."

"So you let me stay with a wolf like him?! You let _ME_ stay with that scumbag of your father?!" Heather snapped angrily, her voice rising again to the decibel of a yell. She sniffled before speaking up again. "How could you do this to me? How could you do this to your own mother? To me?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "And now you're following his footsteps too?" she hollowly let out a chuckle before breathing an ironic scoff.

"Wow. Like father, like son, I suppose," she mutely said with barely any emotion alive in her voice.

Without a single word, Heather turned around on her feet and left the room before disappearing into one of the bedrooms and slamming the door loudly shut. She came here to beat some truth into her eldest, but instead, she was left to leave, looking like a complete fool that's been played for years.

With a defeated sigh, Lucas turned on his heel as well. Knowing that he no longer deserved a place in this house, he opened the front door but stopped before looking at the remaining two with sad eyes. "I'm sorry," he said as his final words before the front door finally shut close with a soft click.

Brandon closed his eyes and cried silently. He messed up. He messed up so badly.

He suddenly opened his eyes in shock when he felt slender arms wrap around his torso. He saw Stella looked up at him with widened, yet concerned eyes. For a second, he forgot that she was here all along and watched the scene unfold. But here she was again. Instead of hating him even more, she's making sure that he's okay. He didn't deserve this angel. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way," he whispered brokenly.

Dried tear stains marred her beautiful features. "...Were you ever going to tell me?" she sniffled, looking away. She wouldn't ever ask him to reveal a secret that's not his own, but this wasn't a secret. This was a treacherous pain and burden that no one deserved to carry. He was in pain for so long and on a daily basis that she wondered if he ever trusted her to share that pain with or if he preferred to live as is. She already knew his answer. He wasn't.

His next words, however, proved her wrong.

"...Yes. I was," he replied. Before she knew it, he reciprocated by wrapping his arms around her. "I was," he cried.

He watched her with tears tainting his cheeks. He sniffled before gently caressing her cheek, wiping her tears away. "I was," he tearfully repeated. "That's why I called you. So I could tell you." He let out a hollow chuckle. "Too late though now, isn't it?" he chuckled with zero emotion. He sniffled before pulling away from her.

Stella watched him leave as well, not knowing how to respond to what just happened here. She didn't even know _how_ to feel right now. She really didn't. Their conversation from a few minutes echoed in her head.

 _"Is that what you told Skylar?"_

 _"Please. Okay, let's go home and I'll tell you—"_

 _"It's too late for that."_

She blinked in response as her gaze remained on the front door. He wanted to tell her earlier as well, but...he didn't want to do it in the presence of his mother. But...he was still telling the truth.

 _So...Brandon never cheated on me. Or on Skylar._ She gaped as she realized. Her tears held still. Everything about him just became so unbelievably clear. Each fight and each tense argument made sense. Each tainted memory had a reason.

 _Their first dinner with Brandon's parents after the marriage..._

 _Their break up..._

 _The argument the night they returned home for Spring break..._

 _And finally..._

 _This._

Now she understood why Brandon didn't want her to go see Skylar. It wasn't because he was afraid of his relationship with Skylar. It was because he was terrified of Skylar spilling the beans about Lucas. Apparently, she knew too.

 _Who the heck is Helen?_ Stella pondered, but it didn't take long for her to deduce. _Skylar's mother._

... _So, that's the reason they broke up,_ Stella's eyes widened. These two _must've_ seen or known that Lucas and this Helen had a temporary affair. _Oh my god..._

Tears filled her eyes. So...his breakup with Skylar wasn't voluntary. They broke up because neither could stand seeing each other anymore. It hurt too much.

Stella sniffled, barely being able to imagine the situation.

 _A young, promising twenty-year old with big hopes for his future and with a stunning girlfriend by his side..._

 _...Only for him to lose all of that when his father slept with his girlfriend's mother._

* * *

That night, two men walked out of the house, leaving behind the women that they loved and treasured.

Two women longed for their husbands, but made no move to bring them back. Crying in solitude, wallowing in hurt, and begging for a miracle to erase all of this, they cried themselves to sleep.

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapter...**_

 _"I'm leaving," Brandon softly said._

 _"This city or me?" she asked with tears in her eyes._

 _"Both," he replied._

* * *

 _ **WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!**_ _ **FINALLY DONEEE!**_

 **Actually, NO.** I'm lying. I'm SO sorry, you guys. I had to cut this chapter short and I _**REALLY**_ wanted to publish this for my friend's birthday. She's such a sweet person and means so much to me. And since I can't deliver a real present to her, this is the best I can do.

 **Bottom line:** There are two more chapters. The next one will be relatively short. But the last chapter will be longer.

Thank you!

 _ **See you in the next oneeee!**_

 **Note: I'll definitely come back to edit this chapter and tweak it to make it a little better, but I have to run off now. Bye!**

 _ **NEXT DATE OF UPDATE:**_ _**I DON'T KNOW.**_


	34. Keep Your Distance

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

Most people thought that I actually deleted the story, which I didn't. There was a fight going on at that time by 1-2 ridiculous people who can't read/listen and I was miffed. Seriously, people, exercise some control. _**If you have nothing nice/constructive to say, zip it.**_

Moving on from that, another reason as to why I didn't upload sooner was because I had a change of heart. I didn't like the initial ending I wrote for this chapter. So, I needed time to go and change it.

Guys. I'll ask again. Please don't fight. You're not contributing _anything._ Don't say dumb/abusive words — even if you're defending someone who's getting bullied. You're all educated enough to know what is right and what is wrong. Keep the reviews section warm and friendly and we'll all get along so well. It'll also motivate me to update faster — not just this story, but others as well.

And on another note, before I continue, I want to mention that _**THERE WILL BE NO SEQUEL.**_ I know what I said in the last chapter and even now, though I really want to write one, there's a sort of a moral reason for me to not continue. Therefore, there will _ **NOT**_ be a sequel, but thank you for those who've asked me one. I'll probably turn that 'sequel' into a different story and post it. Perhaps :)

* * *

 _ **Two days later...**_

 **~ 4:00 AM ~**

 _Is a miracle possible?_ No. Not all the time. That's why it's called a miracle.

 _Is a catastrophe possible?_ Yes. Very much so.

At least, that's what _we_ think. As hard as it is to believe, we see miracles more often than catastrophes. Good things are easy to take for granted. But one disaster is all you need to have your _entire_ life twirl upside down in less than a second.

Never in a million years would Heather have _ever_ imagined that her own husband, the man of her dreams, the man she was happily married to for over twenty-six years ago, the man she had two amazing children (debatable adjective for one of them) with, the man she dreamt _and_ fulfilled fantasies with...

 _...That same man cheated on her and swept the dust under the rug._

Wow.

 _All of the happy times..._

 _All of the laughs..._

 _All of the memories..._

 _All of them...were nothing but a lie..._

That was all it was. _A LIE._

Heather burst into tears and cried. It's been two days. She sat in their bedroom before wasting yet another tissue before tossing the tear-stained napkin messily on the floor, where it joined a few other heaps. Two days ago, everything changed. And unlike any mother _(or wife)_ would expect, _not_ for the better. She was supposed to be happy. She was supposed to be rejoicing in the aftermath of her daughter's wedding. She should be answering phone calls from wedding planners about any remaining balance that they needed to pay. She should be sending thank-you cards to everyone that took the time to attend and bless her child at the wedding. She should be making preparations for her daughter's baby shower.

She should be doing so many _other_ things, but instead...she lost all of those sad, yet beautiful joys of her life.

And it all started with the fight that her son and daughter-in-law had. Tears rolled her cheeks as the truth played over and over again in her mind in a taunting loop. The past five years has been _nothing_ but a _complete LIE._ That's all there was to it. _A big, fat LIE._

Heather silently cried before taking yet another tissue from the seemingly endless supply of Kleenex.

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Stella left her room and descended down the stairs with emotionless eyes. She was equally exhausted and tired. The house was silent. _Too silent, actually._ Heather's presence and energy were usually enough to light up the entire environment, but today...there was nothing of that sort.

Stella stood at the end of the stairs, not knowing what to think. She felt cold and desolated. She hated the way she felt. _Who wouldn't?_ she dryly thought. She was supposed to be enjoying her break. She was supposed to be at home. _With him,_ she finished before her eyes watered. She took out her phone before checking for anything from Brandon. He had been leaving occasional messages, all in the lines of how apologetic he is.

 _I don't deserve this from you, but, please, forgive me._

 _I'm so sorry, Stell._

 _I know that you probably hate me and I'm also the last person you probably want to hear from, but the house feels so empty with you. I'm so sorry, Sunshine. Please come back home. Please come back to me._

She sniffled as she read over the messages she has received since the day before yesterday. Her eyes perused the most recent one. _Wow._ He really thought she hated him. But she didn't. She didn't hate him. She'll never be able to. If he just walked through those front doors right now and asked her to come back home, she knew that a part of her probably want to leave with him. _Not the part she was proud of having, but still._ She stared longingly at the door, waiting for that miracle.

Seeing no one, a disappointed sigh left her lips. She wondered why she even allowed herself to feel that way. _Why do I even bother?_ she sighed.

With yet another distressed sigh, she turned towards the room where Heather locked herself in for the past two days. Heather must be shattered more than anyone else here. Stella's eyes dimmed with compassion and sympathy for her. She knew how that feels. She experienced that fear and heartbreak for an hour or so before realizing that it was in vain and before transferring it to Heather. The _what, why, how, when_ don't matter. Not anymore. Poor Heather. She probably hasn't thought of much since then.

Stella dragged her feet towards the bedroom with hesitance while wondering whether or not it's her place to say anything in comfort. Biting her lip, she knocked on the door with exhausted eyes, knowing that Heather is still very much wide awake. Stella can hear muffled cries from the other side. How can either of them possibly sleep when they have so much going on?

Heather has always been there for her, but right now, she wasn't in a position to be. She needs solace right now. She needs someone to tell her that eventually, everything will be okay. Or if not, then things will get better. _Eventually._

"Heather?" she called out softly before waiting for some form of response. Seconds passed but the door showed no signs of being opened. _Great._ She sighed before gently twisting the knob herself. She stepped inside and sighed when she saw how much of a mess the room is in. Heather was on the bed, her back against the headboard with her knees drawn close to her chest. She lifted her eyes upon hearing Stella enter. Heather sighed, acknowledging the blonde's presence just barely enough before going back to her grieving fest.

The room was dark except for the soft, dim light that emanated from the lamp on the nightstand. Seeing how the atmosphere perfectly reflected their emotions, Stella didn't turn the lights on. She walked over to Heather's side before sitting down next to her. The blonde initially thought maybe giving her space was the best thing to do, but clearly, it wasn't working. Heather was only isolating herself and it's not healthy. Stella sat silently, offering muted consolation.

Heather's cheeks were tainted with fresh tears that traveled along previously dried tear stains. Having the blonde here only made it all the more difficult. It only reminded her that all this time, she was in a desperate need of a reality check.

Stella rubbed her back gently. "How're you holding up?" she softly asked after a few minutes of silence.

A long moment of quietude passed before Heather let out a wavering sigh. Tears of reminiscence pricked her eyes. "...I was around your age when I became pregnant with Brandon," she said softly with tears glazing again. "Lucas was the first person I told. He was so happy. He was so light and so carefree. We knew it was a son. Lucas always wanted a son," Heather let out a short, pained laugh as tears rolled past her eyes.

Stella smiled sadly and listened while Heather continued, "We were married only for a few months at that time. I can still remember our exact vows. He promised. He promised that he would always love me. He promised..." she trailed off as her voice cracked before she burst into fresh tears.

Stella's eyes glistened at Heather's pain. She knew how that felt. The vows promise one of the greatest strengths in a marriage. To hear later on that your significant other broke them is just heartbreaking. "I'm so sorry, Heather," the blonde said with a soft, pained voice.

"How can he do that to me?" Heather asked hopelessly before crying into her hands.

"Do you think that maybe you should talk to him?" Stella asked gently.

"For what? What can he possibly say to convince me otherwise, Stella? Why should I give him that chance? So he could just cheat his way out of this again?" Heather asked with tears in her eyes. "He lied. He lied about everything..." she whispered, crying inconsolably.

"...I know," Stella said. "But, Heather, you deserve an explanation. You deserve that much, at least."

"I know," Heather whispered. But she was afraid. She wasn't ready to hear that explanation, whatever it may be. Under no circumstances can she deem the explanation as valid. She'll just see it as an excuse. And what will Lucas say anyway? He'll probably just fabricate and sugarcoat the fact that he was tempted. Truth is, there is no way to sugarcoat the mess he made. There's no explanation in this world that can make her forgive him.

"I'm so sorry, Heather," Stella said with a sniffle.

"It's not your fault," Heather shook her head. She lifted her head and eyed Stella with concern. "What about you? How are you feeling?" she asked softly. Stella's eyes filled with tears, half out of pain and half out of gratitude. Even now...even at this stage, Heather was kind to her. She's honestly a gem.

"I don't know," Stella admitted truthfully. "I'm scared, Heather," she sniffled. "I'm scared that I'll lose him." Stella bit her lip. "Do you hate Brandon too?" she asked nervously. Though she loved Brandon to death, what he did was wrong. He shouldn't have kept this matter such a secret. The truth hurts enough as it is, but burying it only to be found later is much, _much_ worse. And unfortunately, Heather found that the hard way.

Heather sighed deeply. "...He and I always had a connection. I used to know exactly what he's thinking," she laughed shortly to herself, although the smile never reached her eyes. "So, I would've never imagined that he'd lie like this. I've never imagined that. Right now, I just need space from both of them," Heather said while dabbing at her eyes.

Nodding in understanding, Stella silently held her hand. The blonde already lost her mother. She's not going to lose another one.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 9:00 AM ~**

The hours ticked by painfully. Stella sat at the bottom of the stairs and leaned against the railing, lost deep in thought. Heather fell asleep about two or so hours ago after crying for a while. It's justified, but still heartbreaking to watch.

While Heather slept, the blonde had no clue on what to do. She hadn't had a solid morsel — maybe a bite of granola here and there — since the wedding and she was starving. She didn't have an appetite. However, food was the _last_ thing in her mind.

Fresh sunlight flooded the house, but no one really had the energy to savor the cheerful brightness. Stella sighed to herself before hugging her knees. She thought what Brandon must be doing now. Is he thinking about her too? Or maybe Heather? Stella frowned when her mind swayed over to Lucas. Though she didn't really feel as betrayed as Brandon and Heather probably did, she still wished that the fight stayed between her and Brandon. She wished that Lucas never cheated. She would've eventually believed Brandon that he didn't cheat on her though she'll probably still be pissed at him for a few days. Nonetheless, this must be such a huge blow to Heather. She probably never saw this coming. _No one did._

What Lucas was wrong, _for sure,_ but Stella still couldn't bring herself to resent him. This man was there for her when her parents died, so, it was really hard to believe that he committed adultery.

As horrible as that may sound, she didn't really resent him. If anything, she felt sorry for him. Lucas loved Heather and everyone could see that. It was just the way it is. What he did was unacceptable, but it's hard to stay mad at someone if there's an overwhelming amount of remorse in someone's eyes.

 _Wrong,_ her subconscious warned her. That's not true. That's hypocrisy. Stella distinctly remembered her exploding on Brandon just minutes before Heather slapped the living daylights out of him. There was no way she'll ever be able to overlook that if he really went out of his way to kiss that vile _bitch._

 _How dare she?!_ Stella seethed, glaring mentally at Skylar. Oooh, if she sees that evil girlfriend ever again, boy, they'll have _words. No one touches my man,_ she huffed possessively. Brandon is hers and only hers. She felt really bad and guilty for hurting him so much with her words earlier but truth be told, the man needed to know. He needed to know how much his distantness is hurting her and those around him. It's putting an unnecessary strain on their relationship. _As if we don't have enough of that drama already,_ she grumbled under her breath. She would always love him. His love is the best thing she _ever_ experienced in her entire twenty-three years of existence. She didn't want to lose him, but she also wanted, _no, needed_ him to know that they can't have a relationship with a foundation of deceit, hurt, and lies.

His incredible possessiveness is sometimes sweet, but sometimes, it's just uncalled for. He went over the roof when he saw Chris with Stella. That was unnecessary. His overprotectiveness didn't bother her too much. She never saw it as insecure. That's just the way it is. But the major thing that she had a problem with is the way he'd sometimes just explode on her. He'd say something out of the blue and it's not healthy. For him _or her._ Sure, he physically would never hurt her, but emotional abuse is just as painful, if not even more.

She wanted him to free himself of his past. She wanted him to talk about his nightmares with her. That's probably the reason he doesn't sleep very much. That's probably also the reason he cherishes his job so much. _God, I wish he saw me as a wife instead of that office chair,_ she sighed wistfully.

Lost in her own diagnosis of her husband, she tuned out the rest of the world.

When the doorbell rang abruptly out of the blue, Stella shrieked in total surprise and jumped out of her skin. Clutching her heart in panic, she stood up with a frightening jolt. Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she took a few deep breaths before instantly running to open it, already knowing who it was.

 _And she was right._

 _Speak of the devil._ Her eyes locked with Brandon's expectant, yet hopeful ones. Tears swirled in her own eyes when she saw just how tired and wasted he looked. Just like her. She didn't realize how much she missed him until now.

Her breath came out shallow and wavering when neither spoke for seconds. "Hi," she finally said, breaking the silence.

She watched his lips twitch just ever so slightly into the faintest smile. "Hey," he said back. His voice was deep and thick, laced with pure, humiliating sadness. "How are you?" he softly asked, no longer bothering to hide his emotions. He's done enough of that.

"Terrible," she said, wiping her moistured eyes. She didn't even bother hiding.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said softly with guilt in his voice.

She didn't want an apology. Instead, she itched to hug him tightly and have him tell her that they were going to be okay. Sure, it'll take some grueling work on both ends, but they'll eventually be fine. _Right?_

Watching her conflicted with herself, he didn't know what to say. He was stumped. But for the first time, he actually appreciated the silence. He said too many things to drive this girl away from him and she finally reached her breaking point. It killed him to see her like that, but unfortunately, she'll have to wait. As concerned as he is about her, he's more worried about his mom.

He took a deep, wavering breath. "My mom...how is she?" he asked, lowering his head and averting his eyes away.

 _Oh. He's here for Heather. Not me,_ she sadly thought before scolding herself at her own selfishness. This wasn't the time to be thinking about herself.

Taking her prolonged silence as an answer he didn't think he'd appreciate, he asked again. "Please? Can I see her?" Brandon asked, tears finally flooding his eyes, which successfully had her attention.

It killed her to see him like that. It hurt so much. But what can she do anyway? It's not her place to speak in defense. "...She's sleeping," Stella replied softly.

He blinked. "Really?" he asked her with a dubious glance.

She frowned and stepped back from him, clearly taken aback by his suspiciousness. _Excuse me?_ "Yes, Brandon. Really," Stella said with a clipped tone as anger seeped into her eyes. "Unlike you, I don't lie," she harshly rebuked. Did he really just insinuate that she'd keep him from seeing his own mother? _Oh hell no, he did not._

Brandon took another deep breath. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant," he said sincerely, shaking his head from side to side. He really didn't.

"Then what did you mean by that?!" Stella snapped.

He raised his hands in surrender. "I don't want to fight, Stell," he said with tears in his eyes. "Not anymore," he whispered. "I just want to talk."

Her eyes softened at his distress. She crossed her arms and looked away. "...Yeah, because you're really the one to talk," she replied in a quiet, yet sarcastic tone.

He lowered his head, knowing he deserved that. "...Will you ever come home, Stell?" he asked.

"I'll come home when it starts to feel like home again," Stella replied in hurt. "Whatever has happened, it's your fault. I hate you and I blame you."

"I didn't cheat on you, Stell," he cried. "Please. Believe me, please."

She sighed, rubbing her forehead in exhaustion. "Leave. Please, Brandon," she whispered in fatigue.

"I didn't cheat on you, Stell. I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that—" he protested.

Stella interrupted him. "I know," she said as fresh tears filled her eyes. "I know you didn't."

He blinked and froze. _Really?_ "...Y-You do...?" he asked in shock with widened eyes.

"Yes. I _do_ ," she snapped. "Unlike you, I actually _do_ trust you. You don't get to play the victim here, Brandon," she said with a hard, unforgiving tone. "Finding out that you didn't cheat changes almost nothing for me. You're cold, distant, and unforgiving when I do something you don't approve. I can't deal with that. I don't deserve that," she said, her clipped voice dropping into a hurt, yet angry whisper.

He stared at her for a long moment. "I know," he said wistfully.

Stella sighed in exasperation. "Why can't you just be honest with me? Or with Heather? I know I can't talk for you two, but she deserves way better than the respect you gave her," she stated. How could he lie so much? Is it that easy to lie? She wouldn't have been able to do it.

"Are you mad at me for the last two days or because of the fact that I hid this thing with my mom?" he asked.

"I'm mad because you don't think I'm worthy enough to share your pain. I asked you plenty of times what happened and you always told me that you're not ready to talk yet. I was fine with it. I would never ask you to spill a secret that's not your own. All I asked of you was to make peace with your father. And you were unable to do that as well. Whenever I ask if you're okay, you never tell me anything. How am I supposed to feel?" she asked with a sniffle.

He stared at her, speechless. He hadn't, obviously, missed the bite nor the hurt in her voice.

She swallowed her tears and sighed, tired of this argument. She didn't know what to say honestly. Seeing him so sad threw her off and it hurt to know that this is what their relationship has come to. What's the point of trying if all they're going to do is fight? "Just...just leave me alone. Please," she said with tears. "I can't do this anymore."

She turned around to preferably go upstairs, lock herself in a room, and cry herself to death.

But instead, she stopped when she felt his hand coil around her wrist. She glanced back to see him look at her with the most earnest plea. _His touch is so warm..._ she melted slightly and resisted the urge to hug the life out of him. _Oh, snap out of it, for God's sake,_ her conscious shook its head at her disapprovingly.

"Do you hate me, Stell?" he asked softly.

 _Oh, the irony._

The funny thing is that she remembered asking him the _exact_ question a few days ago. Unlike him, however, she'll give a justified reply. "No," she said. "I'm hurt."

She gasped when he tugged on her wrist sharply and pulled her into a tight hug. Tears flooded to her eyes when she felt her face pressed into his chest. He felt so warm. _Just like home._ She missed this so much.

He sniffled. "Please, Stell. Please don't do this to me. Please come home...I miss you," he sniffled, crying into her shoulder.

She wanted to say yes. She wanted to say yes so badly. But she can't. She can't afford to be hurt again by him. It's too much for one heart to bear. She sniffled before hardening her eyes and swallowing the huge lump in her throat that accumulated out of nowhere. "Well, for once...you actually know how that feels," she replied before freeing herself from him. She stepped away from him, leaving him heartbroken. She stepped back slowly as she cried silently.

 _She'll definitely regret that._

But she didn't care. She wanted him to know how much it hurt. She wanted him to know how much it burned when he refused to come back to her. Despite her best efforts, he didn't come back. He hardened his heart enough to stay back. And now it's her turn. Remorse isn't enough. She needed the guarantee that she can trust him again.

Swallowing a deep lump, she turned around. She stopped in her tracks not too long after when she heard the front door suddenly close.

 _He left._

* * *

 **~ Somewhere Else - 10:34 AM ~**

"You don't think there's something's wrong, do you?" Flora frowned as she checked her phone with her new husband by her side.

"About what?" Helia said, peering curiously from behind her.

"Mom, dad, Brandon, and even Stella," Flora pointed out. "They're not lifting my calls."

"Maybe they decided to respect the fact that we're on our honeymoon," Helia smiled before his hands went down to caress her growing belly. Placing a gentle kiss into her caramel-brown hair, he whispered how much he loved her, making Flora smile.

"I know...I can't help but feel that something's wrong. I expected at least mom to call back. All she left is a bunch of GIFs in the group chats," Flora shook her head with a worried frown.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Flower," Helia said with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, okay? Maybe they're just busy. Who knows? Maybe they're taking a vacation too? Call back after a while."

"Yeah. You're probably right," Flora smiled before turning around to kiss him sweetly.

* * *

 **~ Streets of New York - 11:30 PM ~**

Hands shoved in his pockets, Brandon roamed aimlessly through the streets. He cast his eyes down in shame of ever raising them again. He'll never be able to forget the look Stella gave him right before he left. It was a broken trust. She didn't trust him anymore. She didn't trust that he'd keep her happy.

He blinked when his phone rang out of nowhere. Puzzled, he took it out before frowning at the caller ID. _Flora._

 _Like he didn't have other headaches to deal with._ He'd been trying to avoid her calls but to no avail. He can't tell her about this! Unlike her, the wedding spirit for ruined for the rest of the family. Will it be selfish to ruin this for her? Lucas bid Flora and Helia off to their honeymoon right after the wedding.

He grumbled before picking up the call with a cursed sigh. "Hey, Flo," he responded.

"Oh my god! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you since forever!" she laughed. _Well, clearly, someone's in a good mood,_ he observed her relief and cheerfulness. It only made it harder for him to say something to her.

"So, how are you guys? Is everything okay?" Flora asked curiously.

"Yeah. Sure," he shrugged. _Doing just fine, sis!_ His character has been slandered, his mom was heartbroken, his father disappeared, and his wife kept a hundred-mile radius between him and herself. _Peachy._

"...Is everything really okay?" Flora blinked at his emotionless tone.

He pursed his lips to say yes but stopped at the last second. _Don't lie. Please don't lie. Not anymore,_ his conscious warned him softly. Frankly, even he didn't have the energy to. But he was worried. As distraught as he may be, the fact that his younger sister is pregnant hasn't escaped his mind. She was approximately seven months. Any slight stress on her might impact her unborn child.

Brandon clutched the phone tightly, unable to formulate his words. "...I'll tell you soon," he finally said flatly. "But everything's okay. Don't worry, alright? Just take good care of yourself, okay?"

"Brandon, you're scaring me," Flora frowned. "We can come back, you know—"

"No. You two deserve this more than anything. Enjoy this trip. Everything's just fine over here," he said, strengthening his voice for her sake. "It's just stress. Don't worry, okay? Don't worry about mom and the others. They're just...busy. They'll call you soon."

Flora sighed in relief, buying that excuse. "Okay, but you'll tell me if anything's bothering you, right?"

"Of course I will. Take care of yourself, okay? You're not alone anymore," he said gently, referring to the baby. "I have to go, so I'll talk to you later."

"Okay," Flora said with a small smile.

Brandon instantly hung up before setting his phone on silent.

That was harder than he thought. If not for the slight fact that she's pregnant, he'd definitely spill the beans.

 _Maybe if Stella was here, she'd know what to say,_ he thought with a small, wistful smile. He continued walking with a deep sigh. Everywhere he looked, he saw Stella. If she was here right now, she would make everything seem so much better. And right now, it seemed as if fate is out there to get him. Stella hated him, his mom hated him and he had no idea where his dad went. Coming to think of it, he hadn't called his dad for two days.

He sighed.

 _What did they all come to?_

* * *

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's House - 12:20 PM ~**

Heather was wide-awake. Having woken up just minutes earlier, her mind felt calmer, but the bitter rage in her heart was nowhere near appeased. She didn't understand half of what happened. Stella was right. An explanation is way overdue.

Heather tossed the covers off her body, ignoring the sting that's been in her heart for days. She needed an explanation. She deserved one. Why should she cry? She's not the one who broke up the family. She did everything she could to keep the family as a...family. She didn't lie. She shouldn't have to cry. Instead, she should make the guilty repent.

She got up from the bed with hardened eyes. She adjusted the dress she's been wearing for over a day now. That's disgusting. She needed a shower and she needed some food in her belly.

Nearly forty minutes later, Heather stood in front of the mirror. She looked formal and gracefully elegant in the navy-blue, crepe knit jacket dress. She didn't know why she dressed like she was going to work, but that's how foreign this feels. Grabbing a clutch, she opened the door to the living room.

"Stella!" she called out as she adjusted herself slightly. Heather looked up when she heard shuffling noises from upstairs before the door opened.

Stella walked to the stairs before freezing on the spot at Heather's refreshed attire. "H-Heather?" her eyes widened in shock. "Is that really you?" she blinked in disbelief. She certainly didn't expect the older woman to clean up so nicely. The latter was bawling her eyes out just hours ago, so what the hell was this? "Are you okay?" Stella asked, slowly descending down the stairs. _She's not in denial, is she?_

"Yes and yes," Heather replied coolly. Her eyes narrowed slightly when the blonde looked like she's been crying for a while. Her eyes were swollen and they were a pinkish red. "Are you okay?" Heather asked in concern as Stella stepped down from the last step.

"Brandon was here," Stella replied with a sniffle.

Heather nodded in understanding.

"He wanted to see you," the blonde added.

Heather raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, good. He should," she scowled.

Stella sighed in distress.

"You must be famished," Heather noted before rubbing her back in comfort.

"I'm not hungry," Stella mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"It's adorable that you think I'm giving you a choice," Heather stated. "Come on," she said before gesturing the blonde to follow her to the kitchen. She told the blonde to sit down at the stools in front of the kitchen's island.

"I'm really not in the mood, Heather," Stella sighed, placing her head on the marble in front of her.

Heather sighed. She was trying to be strong, but her insides are struggling to no end. "If you want to cry, you'll need the energy for it," she said.

"What happened to you?" Stella mumbled. "Not that I'm complaining."

"We don't deserve to cry. We don't deserve to cry over the men who do little to nothing to be here when we need them the most."

"You really want Lucas to be here right now?" Stella asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't. But the fact that he didn't even make an effort to be here is what really hurts the most," Heather shook her head sadly from side to side before grabbing a loaf of bread from the refrigerator. Makeshift Nutella sandwiches will do. She placed slices of bread in the toaster and took them out once they popped up.

"...Did you fight very often with Lucas, Heather?" Stella asked curiously. _Or is it just me and Brandon?_

"You can't take us for comparison with what's wrong with you," Heather explained while spreading Nutella on the toasted bread.

"Why not? How are we different from you?" Stella asked.

"Because Lucas and I fell in love and _then_ we got married. We knew each other's flaws, imperfections, and history when we got engaged. You two didn't," Heather pointed out before setting the plate in front of her.

Stella stared at the sandwiches before her mouth watered. She didn't realize how hungry she has been until now. She shameless dug in with a ravenous appetite while pondering over Heather's words. That's a good point.

"Yeah, but...it's been two years, Heather. One would think we know each other well by now," Stella frowned.

"Funny. I was about to say the same thing," Heather sarcastically glared at nothing in particular. Together for over twenty-six years, yet she still didn't know about her so-called husband that well.

"Where are you going anyway?" Stella asked, referring to the attire.

"To find out how another woman tempted him enough to make him forget about me," Heather said, her voice turning into an icy-cold tone. "I'll see you later."

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 6:50 PM ~**

Brandon gloomily stood in the backyard. His normally warm brown eyes were nowhere to be found as his stance fixated towards the few acres that stretched into the horizon. He didn't know whether to cry until dehydration or scream into the heavens. But not a sound escaped his lips as he tried to keep it in.

He saw Stella everywhere. She loved this place. He can't recall the number of times they played tag here with carefree grins on their faces or the silly "outings" they went on in their own backyard. A tear rolled down his cheek at the memories.

 _"Sunshine, why are we having a picnic in our backyard?" he chuckled in amusement as she spread a red-and-white-checkered towel. "We can go somewhere like the park," he suggested as any normal person would._

 _"Because if we get hungry again, we can just run back to the house," she grinned, pointing to the back door. Her naive, innocent logic made him laugh._

 _"It's cold out here to be having a picnic, don't you think?" he cocked his head to the side while crossing his arms. It is Christmas, after all. No amount of sunshine can distract you from the cold._

 _"We have everything!" she giggled. "Portable heaters, picnic basket, delicious food, happy desserts," she rambled on while using her fingers to check the list off._

 _He sighed in mirth. "You'd rather move half the house outside than sit at a dining table?" he laughed but moved to help her anyway._

 _"Yeah?" she giggled, making him laugh again._

A tear rolled down his cheek. Soon, plenty followed as he cried silently. That was when she came back into his life like a miracle. It was shortly before Christmas Eve and she woke him up one day, saying that she wanted to be outdoors, which is slightly ironic for her since she didn't do well in the cold.

And looking into the present, he screwed all of that up. He threw a beautiful relationship in flames while trying to save another. His mom will never forgive him, his dad is in god-knows-where, his wife hates him, and his blissfully-unaware sister is on a romantic honeymoon. _Great._

"You should really learn to lock the house," a gentle, yet strong voice interrupted.

Brandon gasped before turning around to see none other than his mom standing at the door. "Mom...?" he choked out in shock. He blinked before a happy smile cracked through his face. "Mom!" he burst before rushing to give her a hug.

Heather swallowed the pain. "I'm allowed to be here, right?" she asked while maintaining her composure.

He pulled back, blinking back hurt. "You don't have to ask. Of course, you can," he said, taken aback. She looked stiff and a little uncomfortable to be here, almost as if she's visiting a complete stranger's house. Brandon sniffled at her behavior. "I'm sorry, mom," he cried. "I'm so sorry."

Heather crossed her arms. "Yeah. I can see that," she said quietly. "So...let me get this straight. You...you never cheated on Skylar?" she asked slowly.

He shook his head vigorously from side to side. "No," he whispered with a sniffle. "I didn't."

Heather nodded slowly, ignoring the stab of pain she felt. His denial only made it far worse. Call her selfish, but she didn't want this. She had accepted and forgiven Brandon's version of the story. She didn't want it to change anymore. It's horrible either way. If Brandon's made-up version was true, then it means that Skylar's heartbreak is justified. If not, then Heather. It's a cruel paradox. Two women shouldn't have to be torn like this. Neither deserved that.

"...And Stella?" Heather asked, tears springing to her eyes at his previous answer.

He closed his eyes although a few tears still managed to seep through. "I didn't. I love her, mom," he whispered weakly. "I can't do that to her."

"But you did it to me, didn't you? You lied and you cheated. Straight to my face. Not just one or two, but for _five_ years. Five years, Brandon! And an apology is all you have?!" Heather demanded with justified anger. She was heartbroken too! It's not fair that everyone wanted her to forgive them like she's some gracious angel. She's not. She's just as torn up over this as anyone else, maybe even more.

Brandon helplessly stared at her in pain. She's right. He should've. He should've admitted it a long time. But maybe he wouldn't meet Stella. He'd probably find a way to be with Skylar. One can never know. But on the other hand, his Sunshine would've been spared from such hurt. She would've probably ended up with someone better. Torn between the possibilities, he sighed. "What can I do? What can I do to make you feel better?" he asked in vain. He can't change the past anyway.

"How about an explanation?!" Heather snapped.

 _Yes because it's an easy one,_ he sighed at him. This is torture. But here it goes anyway. "...Skylar and I...we...we found dad and Helen together," Brandon admitted with shame and affliction. "...Sky couldn't take it anymore. She was just as devastated as I was," Brandon choked out. "She said that she can't be with me anymore. She said that I keep reminding her of what happened and she wanted space. So, she left, mom. I didn't know what to do."

Heather's eyes finally gave way to the endless tears she had swallowed all this while. Noticing that, his eyes grew even more vulnerable. Heather knew this but hearing it from her own son is devastating.

Heather stared at her son in disbelief. How could they have kept such a secret from her? How could he do that? Did they both have hearts at all!? Heather sniffled, feeling beyond betrayed. "So...let me get this straight," she let out an exhale, trying to formulate her words without losing her cool. "You decided for yourself that hiding the truth and covering it up is the best thing to do. You decided to rip me off my chance to have a say in my marriage. You decided that me being with your cheating father is better than being alone," she accused, her voice rising as she tossed him an icy glare.

"No," he sniffled. "I decided that I since lost my father, I can't lose my mother too," he said before a sob left his throat. He used his sleeve to cover his face before crying. "I didn't want to lose you too, mom!" he said in between his cries.

Momentarily in shock, Heather stood there, pondering over his words.

"I know that you're mad," he sniffled. "I get that and—"

"Mad that you lied? Yes! YES, I AM," she interrupted sharply. "And rightfully so!" She glanced up with tormented eyes. "We could've had a beautiful wedding, but instead, you made me resent the day that coincides with my daughter's marriage! How are you any different?! Maybe if you had been upfront with me AND Stella, then this could've been avoided."

"I never wanted to hurt her, mom. I never met Skylar secretly or do anything else with her that might hurt Stella."

"Yeah, well, maybe that's the problem," Heather pointed out. "You should've. Do you know the reason Skylar thinks she still has a chance with you? It's because you haven't told her clearly enough."

He blinked, clearly not having expected that. Truth is...he never thought of it that way. But what did it matter now? It's too late.

"...Do you hate me, mom?" he finally asked.

Heather blinked, pondering over his words. Stella had asked the same thing earlier. Heather sighed. She'd be lying to herself if she said that she hadn't thought of that herself. She took a deep breath before making up her answer. "...No," she said. "...I don't," she shook her head. "You're my son and I'll always love you. But, you lied to me. I deserved to know, Brandon. I'm trying really hard to forgive you and move past this, but I can't," she stated. "However, maybe someday, I'll eventually get over the fact that you lied. And somewhere down the long road, we'll both be okay," she explained. She didn't hate her own son, obviously. He didn't commit foul — not as much as Lucas did. "But I can't get over the fact that my husband broke my trust."

"Dad really does love you, mom," he sniffled.

"This is less about him cheating on me with my own friend," Heather said with emotionless eyes. "This is about him letting his own son, _my_ son, take the blame and suffer hell when, instead, it should've been himself."

His eyes watered at her reason. He didn't have words to defend his father against that. His mom had always been wise and astute in such matters.

Heather took a step closer to him before patting his cheek gently. As mad as she is at him, he's still her son. She can't wish harm or heartache upon her child. "Don't lose her," Heather sniffled. "She feels just as worse as you do. You need to show her that you really do love her. Right now, she doesn't believe that you even care for her."

Brandon sighed in despair, knowing that's true and that he had a _lot_ to make up for. He just didn't know how to fix this.

* * *

 **~ 10:30 PM ~**

Finally, all by himself, Brandon walked into Stella's bedroom. He struggled not to cry as he viewed the room. His eyes carried tears as he ran his eyes meticulously over every inch of this room. It felt like her and it smelled like her. Creme white walls, double windows, golden-yellow mattresses, slightly messy desk, and finally her closet...

She was here the night they fought. She slept here. The bed wasn't made from then, leaving him to frown slightly. Wiping his waterworks away, he moved forward before making her bed. He neatly folded the sheets under her mattress before running his palms over the top to smooth them down. He put the pillows near the bed's head before stepping back.

His eyes brightened just ever so slightly when he noticed her closet. Her closet is the one thing she loved to keep organized. She loved shopping and she loved dressing up. She never really had to for him though. She's always been radiant and beautiful in his eyes.

With a tired sigh, he sat on her bed before putting his head into his hands.

 _"You need to show her that you really do love her."_

 _"She doesn't believe that you care for her."_

His eyes clouded with pain. He didn't know what to do to win her back. She's afraid to be with him because he might give her yet another emotional scar. He took her for granted, didn't he? He did. Why else would he be like this? Why would they be this way with miles apart from each other?

He missed the quiet talks they occasionally have at night, the movie days at home, and the banters and bickerings they have during cooking. This break was supposed to be a fun time for both of them. But _no._ He had the gift to ruin just about everything that he touched.

 _"You're cold, distant, and unforgiving when I do something you don't approve."_

She's right. He needed to change that. He really wanted to. He just didn't know how... _yet._

 _"I don't deserve that."_

"No," he whispered. "You don't," he sniffled.

He sat still for what felt like hours before he came to a decision. He stood up slowly with tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Stell," he whispered before finally understanding what he needed to do to win her back.

He exited out of her room before running up the stairs and towards their bedroom. He took a deep breath. This room hasn't been cleaned yet, meaning it's been in a disastrous state since days. He pushed it open before glaring at the mess inside. Rubbing his hands together, he stretched slightly.

 _He had work to do._

* * *

 _ **After a little over three hours...**_

Brandon sat on the bed, finally satisfied. He threw the entire piles of pillows and sheets into the trash. He replaced the sheets with new ones and opened new pillows from storage. He cleaned the carpet which was stained with a trail of his dried blood and little drops of Stella's from the time she cut herself. Pouring baking soda and vinegar, he had the salt and acidic residue to clean the set-in stains, which thankfully worked. Though the stains were no longer blaring, they left behind a tint of their presence. He cleaned up the bathroom. He vacuumed the place to detect any left-out pieces of broken glass.

He picked up a picture frame from the nightstand. It was a picture of them. This home had been void of photographs until she came. He smiled sadly at how happy he looked. It was almost surreal. She looked gorgeous as ever. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she giggled at something he must've said.

He held the frame tightly before moving to his closet. Making up his mind, he pulled out a suitcase from underneath. He stared at it, knowing that now, there's no more going back on this.

* * *

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's House - The Next Morning - 11:00 AM ~**

Each day was no different. Brandon knew that today was all he had to make one last attempt to convince her _somehow._ Actually, to _hell_ with convincing. He just needed her to know that he's sorry. He waited anxiously by the door before he heard another car pull up into the driveway. His eyes widened when he saw that it was his dad.

Lucas stepped out of the car

The door soon opened and a tired, sleepy-as-hell blonde stood in the doorway. She blinked when she saw two of them waiting expectantly.

"Technically, I did get here ten seconds before him," Brandon pointed, tossing a small glare towards his father.

"Heather's inside," she said a little nervously before Lucas nodded quietly before moving in. Stella stared after him for a second. Jeez. Where has he been all this time? Why is it that the men of this household prefer to run away and hide?

She let out a sigh, knowing that it's none of her business. Clinging to the door frame, she turned to look at Brandon. His eyes widened as he stared at her. It looked like she hadn't had a wink of sleep all night. With concern, he stepped closer to her before lifting her chin to take a good look at her. She rubbed her swollen eyes to smear the puffiness away. Ugh, she looked and felt terrible.

"Is this because of me?" he asked solemnly before wondering why he even bothered to ask when the answer is practically walking in his face.

She stared up at him for a long second before withdrawing from him. "Why are you here?" she asked sadly.

"I wanted to see you once before I go," he replied.

His words successfully got her attention. "Where are you going?" she asked in confusion. "Are you leaving?"

He always imagined that he'd say no to that. He never knew he had the strength to walk away from her, but here he was. "I am," he softly said.

"What?! Where?!" she asked in surprise. She gazed at him expectantly fearing his answer. Why was he leaving? "Why?" she asked before tears erupted in her eyes.

His eyes softened at her glistening amber eyes. He rehearsed so much. He willed himself to stay strong, to not shed another wear tear, but he couldn't help it. He stepped closer to her before gently holding her face in his hands. His hands felt warm around her, making her insides go fuzzy. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me," he said sincerely, leaning in a few inches. "I forgot to enjoy being alive until you came into my life and reminded me that I still have a life to live," he said. He looked into her earnest, beautiful eyes. "Wherever I go, I'll always love you. If you ever need me, I'll only a phone call away," he whispered, meaning every single word of that. It would hurt, of course, but he'd do anything for her. He gently kissed the top of her head.

His touch thawed her frozen tears. Tears started to flow down her cheeks automatically. "I didn't want you tainted by me. Not in the way I was a few years ago. You're too precious for that," he said as his tears glistened brightly. "You always will be."

She sniffled, not knowing what to say. Him holding her like this... _she missed it so much._

"There was so much I wanted to do with you," he whispered in continuation. "Go to Alaska, for one," he laughed through his tears at how silly that sounded. "Somewhere where it'll be just the two of us. I'd cook for you every single day. I'd tell you how much you mean to me. I'd tell you that I love you," he sniffled. "But most of all, I'd tell you that I'm sorry," he cried, closing his eyes as tears escaped from his eyes.

Stella resisted the urge to cry. "Don't," she whispered. "Don't say that," she sniffled. "Can't we work? Can't we work this out? We can still talk—"

"It's like you said. It's too late for that," he retorted. "I can't stay without you and I can't live here without you. I don't deserve you and I can never forgive myself for this," he said.

He wiped his tears away before pulling back from her. "Good luck on your graduation, okay?" he smiled through his tears. "Take good care of yourself."

"And for what it's worth, I'm so sorry," he said softly. He kissed her forehead for a long moment. "I love you, Sunshine," he whispered. He cherished her touch for a few more seconds before pulling back. He used the sleeves of his shirt to clear the moisture from his eyes.

His eyes darted towards his ring. With a deep, wavering sigh, he let his fingers curl around before he slid it off his finger.

Stella's face crumbled as she watched that. _It's over. It's really over,_ she gaped in fear, shock, and heartbreak. Her dam broke as she cried silently.

He looked up before holding the ring out for her. "Will you hold on to this for me?" he whispered softly.

She feared touching it and instantly stepped back from it. "You're letting us go?" she asked in tears.

"I'll wear it again if I deserve it," he softly said.

"B-Brandon—" she protested.

But he had long made up his mind. He can't keep hurting her like this. And at this rate, he'll never be able to keep her happy. Stepping forward, he leaned in to kiss her cheek gently before slipping the ring into her unsuspecting hands. Stella sniffled when she felt the weight of the metallic object drag her down.

"Take care of yourself," he said before a tear slipped past his eye. He sniffled as he gazed at her for a few more seconds before turning on his heel. He went to his car before sitting inside. With tearful eyes, he watched Stella, who looked too shocked to even move. His hand slipped into his pocket where he took a similar, smaller ring out. _The same ring she gave him a few days ago._

Stella uncurled her hand to see his wedding ring. She glanced up at him again before he finally pulled out of the driveway. The second he left, the second he disappeared, she burst into tears.

Brandon watched through his rear-view mirror as her figure grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared altogether. He cleared the moisture from his eyes before checking his watch. _11:15 AM._

He had one last thing to do before leaving.

Clutching the ring in his hand tightly, he drove straight to the house.

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Stella sat on the stairs of the porch, gazing blankly at the ring he left behind. She hugged her knees before starting to cry. She can't take this anymore. She really can't. She didn't even know why she was here. If he really leaves, then it means that there's no more hope for their relationship. And she can't let that happen. If she learned anything from last year, then it's not losing him again.

She held the ring tightly. It didn't belong to her. It belonged to him. And he had something quite similar that she'd very much like to get it back.

* * *

 _ **Nearly forty-five minutes later...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 12:15 PM ~**

Brandon paced around the living room, feeling quite antsy and nervous. He took a deep breath to appease his nerves and hopefully calm himself.

The doorbell soon rang and he instantly stopped wearing a path on the floor. He checked the time. _How punctual,_ he thought dryly.

Brandon stood up to go open the door. He needed to do this. He thought by ignoring Skylar, she would just eventually get the hint and go away, but, boy, he was _so_ wrong. The second he opened the door, he didn't miss the hope and earnestness in Skylar's blue eyes.

"Come in," he quietly said before holding the door sideways to let her in. She entered silently while tossing him a curious, questioning glance. He left the door open before gesturing her to the seating area in the living room. "Sit," he said before sitting down in a leather couch opposite to her.

Skylar looked around the home bitterly. All of this should've been hers. She should've been the one blessed to share half of his life. She was supposed to sleep in a bed with him. "I don't see your precious wife around," Skylar commented dryly before shutting up instantly when Brandon gave her a glare of warning.

"...You have something you want to say to me?" she asked in hurt. She saw him take a deep breath. He looked tired and almost hopeless. From what she observed, he didn't even show up for work the last few days. She blinked in understanding, deducing that Stella must've seen them kissing. She can't find another reason as to why the brunette would look so visibly sad and lost.

"Yes, actually. I do," Brandon answered with a little edge to his tone. "Skylar, I need you to understand that Stella is in my life. And she always will be. I love her. She may not think so and you may not choose to believe it, but I can't and won't love anyone else," he stated firmly.

Skylar sat still before tears formed in her eyes. "..."

"I don't want to sound cold, but I'm glad that things ended between us," Brandon said. "I can't imagine not meeting Stella and I can't imagine not loving her."

"Even after she saw us? Even after she left you? She broke up with you, didn't she?" Skylar sniffled.

"...She has good reason to," he answered softly. "And besides, this isn't just about you. It's not. Even if she left me...she'll come back. She always has."

"And...and if she doesn't?" Skylar asked with tears. "Who'll be your girl number three, Brandon?!"

His eyes hardened slightly. "Even if she doesn't, I'll wait for her because I love her. I'd rather die than hurt her, much less cheat on her."

"But w-we—" Skylar tried to protest.

"No," he shook his head, interrupting her instantly. "Stop," he seriously said, holding up his index to silence her. "There's no 'we' anymore. We're done," he stated firmly. "We have been. _For years._ I don't care if she doesn't come back. Whether or not she wants me to, I'll always be here to take care of her. As long as I'm breathing, she'll never have to worry about anything."

Tears openly rolled down Skylar's cheeks. Without another word, Skylar stood up sharply and glanced at him with nothing but treachery and heartbreak. Brandon watched as she stormed out of the house before sighing in relief. That was easier than he had anticipated. It pained him that he hurt her, but he didn't regret it. He should've done this a long time ago.

 _And now for the hard part,_ his eyes misted over at the mere thought. He sighed to himself. It's unbearable to be here, knowing that he'll never be able to share this with the woman he loved.

He let himself scan each crevice of the house. Each corner and each inch of this home had a story behind it. Despite not really being in this house for that long, they've been here long enough to leave a mark behind. "I'm sorry," Brandon whispered into nothing.

"You know...you never really answered her question," a familiar voice interrupted his self-pity session. Brandon's eyes widened when he saw Stella standing near the door.

"What are you doing here?" he softly asked the blonde.

Stella bit her lip before shrugging. "...Take a guess," she sniffled.

"How much of that did you hear?" he asked.

"Will there be a girl number three?" she asked.

His eyes softened before approaching her. "No," he shook his head. There won't be anyone else.

"Then why are you leaving?" she sniffled.

"I hurt you, didn't I?" he asked. That was more than enough reason for him to distance himself from her.

"I left with Heather because I thought you cheated on me. Whatever you did, however much we fought...it's not worth you leaving," she sniffled. "If you leave, we'll never be okay, Brandon. We can never be together."

"I know," he said.

"No, you don't," Stella interrupted with tears. "If you leave, how are you any different from Skylar a few years ago?"

His lips slightly parted at her point. That was a _fantastic_ question.

"...You'd leave me with as just as much pain," she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

He let out a tired sigh. "I don't know how else to fix this, Stell," he closed his eyes before raking a hand through his chestnut mane. "What should I do?"

"Stay," she asked before moving to hug him. "Stay," she repeated, closing her eyes when she felt the all-too-familiar scent of earth, pine, and sandalwood. "Please. Don't leave," she cried.

He stiffened at the sudden contact. She pressed her face into his chest, silently pleading for him to listen to her for once. He never realized how much he missed her until this moment. It didn't take him even a moment for his stance to relax. He instantly reciprocated the hug. He rested his chin on top of her head before clenching his arms tighter around her.

The house soon fell into a deafening silence as the two adults relaxed in each other's embrace in perfect unison.

Minutes later, Brandon pulled back from the embrace. "I'll come back," he whispered gently before wiping her tears away. His words shattered her. For a minute, he really had her going. She thought that maybe he would stay.

She opened her mouth to protest. "Why? Why are you doing this?" she asked with fresh tears. "Our relationship is just strained—"

"It's toxic," he interrupted her firmly. "It's abusive, it's unhealthy, and it's downright ridiculous," he slammed. Brandon sighed, "I can't keep hurting you, Stel. I just can't. You asked me to free myself from my past. And that's what I'm going to do," he said with determination burning in his eyes.

"Can't we do it together?" she sobbed.

He shook his head. "This is something I have to do by myself," he said. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I'll come back. I'll come back when I become the man you truly deserve," he whispered against her skin.

Within moments, his warmth disappeared as he let go of her. She sniffled as he stepped back. She watched in despair as he stepped out of reach.

He turned around to leave but stopped in his tracks. "Will you hold on to the ring for me?" he asked softly, walking back to her.

She dumbly nodded.

A faint smile touched his lips. He raised his hand up to stroke her cheek with his thumb while his fingers curled around her neck. A surprised gasp left her throat when his lips touched hers. His free arm slowly snaked around her waist, pressing her to himself. Stella closed her eyes before reciprocating as the world around her slowly dissipated, along with her fears and worries. He made her feel like nothing else mattered. Though it felt like an eternity, the kiss lasted only a few, short seconds. They finally pulled away, both almost at the same time.

Brandon gazed at her, his eyes sparkling with tenderness and love. Her eyes were full of questions and curiosity. _Will he return like he said he would?_

"I promise," he said, answering her unvoiced question. Without further words, he let her go.

Stella stood as a single tear slipped past her eyes. He walked away, leaving her alone. But nonetheless, a flame of hope burned in her heart. For her own sanity, she had to keep burning it.

 _He'll come back._

He'll come back to her. She just knew it. He just had to. He can't leave her. He can't give up on them and neither can she. He'll come back to her one day. And she believed that with her heart.

 _Because he promised._

* * *

 _ **Many hours later...**_

 **~ Somewhere Else - 1:00 AM ~**

Skylar sat in her apartment, desolated and lonely. She sniffled as she sat alone in the dark space. Brandon's home was beautiful. It's gorgeous. When he invited her to come for a 'chat', she was ecstatic before she saw his face. He was never so serious with that. It had almost scared her to the point where she had almost anticipated exactly as to what he might say. But she can't accept that. She refused to do so.

She gasped when the bell rang. She checked the time with bemusement. _Who was here now?_ She didn't expect anyone and she most certainly didn't want anyone. Getting from the bed she nuzzled herself into, Skylar glared at whoever that could be before opening the front door.

"Chris?" she blinked in shock.

"Hey, stranger," he snorted.

"What are you doing here? It's past one o'clock," she said sternly.

"Oh. Didn't notice. There's a gas leak at my place, so figured I'd crash here," Chris gave her a quick smile before barging into the house.

She blinked at his intrusion before following after him. "Excuse you. Crash somewhere else!" Skylar said in disapproval as he groaned and jumped on a sofa before stretching himself.

"Well, someone's on their period," Chris remarked with amusement before making himself at home.

Skylar glared at him, not appreciating his comment at all. "I'm not in the mood for your damn jokes. Get out. I want to be left alone."

Unfazed by her outburst, Chris chuckled. "Now, is that _anyyyyyyy_ way to treat your guests?" he mocked.

"I don't give a damn," Skylar retorted rudely.

The smile disappeared from his face before Chris stood up to match her stance. He let out a worried sigh, unmasking his real emotions. "Well. I do. You weren't answering your phone. And you left without even telling me. I was worried, Skylar," he frowned.

"Well, I didn't ask you to be," she said angrily. All she wanted was some peace and quiet, but instead, he was badgering her with his interrogative questions. After the morning not-so-fun chat with Brandon, she wasn't in the mood. "I'm fine as you can clearly see. So you can leave."

"No. I won't leave because I can't see that you're fine," he shook his head adamantly. "Skylar, I didn't go to that party on my own. I went because you asked me to. But you just randomly left without letting me know," Chris said quietly. "I deserve to know at least why," he asked in concern.

"You want an explanation?" Skylar's eyes threatened with tears. She sniffled as Brandon's words played through a loop. "How about this? I didn't fly all the way across the ocean just to hand over the man I love to blonde twit!" Skylar said as tears finally dropped down her cheeks. Her voice rose with each word she uttered.

Chris listened to her attentively before staring at her for a long moment. "What did you do at the wedding?" he finally asked. She averted her eyes away with a sniffle. She didn't do anything wrong. Sensing her silence, he deduced that whatever it is, it's bad. He didn't need the genius genie to be told that. "...All those headlines, all those controversies, all those tabloids, and now this," Chris sighed, rubbing his forehead. "And they're _STILL_ together, Skylar," he said gently, yet firmly with narrowed eyes. "...Doesn't that tell you anything?"

He sighed before moving closer to her. "Look at yourself. You look insane," he said, concerned. "...I wanted to win too, but...not at the cost of this. I've left them both alone months ago. Hell, I didn't even do anything. Leave them alone, Skylar."

"No," Skylar whispered in denial. "No, you don't know what you're talking about," she shut him down.

He sighed. He figured it wouldn't be easy. "What's wrong with you? How could you possibly think that Brandon wouldn't move on from you?" Chris asked. "I mean, does that even make any sense to you?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Skylar repeated. Her breaths grew shallow while his glare hardened at her reply.

"And you do? You're stuck in the past while I'm looking at the present. I'm out of this. I've been out of this long before you went out of your way to hurt them. What you did was a crime. It's a miracle that they didn't press charges against you. Do whatever you wish, but at least this time, don't blame others when you can't get what you want."

Having had enough of his vile accusations, she exploded on him, "How can you say something like that?!" Skylar asked with tearful eyes, "How can you?! Didn't you love Stella?!"

Chris stared down at her in concern. She was having a breakdown but was refusing to accept it. Without a warning, he pulled her into a tight hug, leaving her to squeak in surprise. "I'm more concerned about you," he said quietly. "Sky...I can call you that, right? Please. Let him go. Leave Stella and Brandon alone."

"Please. Stop this, Sky...stop this," he gently said with a sigh. "It hurts more to see _you_ like this. You know what you're doing is wrong. You know that. Please. Let it go."

She remained silent as she let his words echo through her brain. Each second made those words feel heavier. Each second brought her closer to reality. And that's when she understood. It really was over.

"N-No. It's not over. It isn't," she croaked.

"Yes. Yes, it is," Chris stated firmly with a flicker of anger in his eyes.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she let out a choked sob. Her heartbreak set her insides on a fiery turmoil. There was hope before. A tiny flicker but even that got lost in the wind as of today.

 _Correction:_ there was never any hope.

Brandon never let her in. He never made her feel like he still harbored feelings for her. It was her. It was her, who stupidly believed that his heart ached for her.

But she was wrong. She was so wrong. Today, that heart belonged to another woman. And...this time, it's permanent.

Tears began to spill from her helpless eyes as her heart ached for Brandon. She felt as if someone drove a double-edged sword straight through the center of her heart. What was once whole is now shattered. Where once was peace and joy is now emptiness. She gave him so many signs of her love. She told him so many times that she still loved him and she always will. But each time, he only took a step away from her love. He didn't want it. He rejected it.

She sobbed at the realization and sank to her knees. Chris joined her before pulling her into a tight hug. She cried into his shirt, each cry ripping his heart to shreds. His heart broke for her as her once piercing blue eyes turned ashen. It was the lifelessness in them that scared him the most. He didn't come close to understanding how she felt because he always knew that there was a likely chance that Stella and Brandon will never grow apart. Those two were meant to be together. He was upset too but...not like this. He was over it. He's been over it _._ He's not heartbroken.

Skylar cried in anguish but Chris didn't say anything. He patted her black hair and let her cry her soul out. _Maybe...maybe if she had done this five years ago...she wouldn't be hanging on such a thin, delicate thread today._

Skylar cried in his arms. Her body shook with each tumultuous sob she emitted. It's over. She's done. She tried everything she could and now...she's exhausted. Her heart grew heavy as she cried unrelentingly into the night.

* * *

 _By the end of that night, one relationship was broken and destroyed without any trace._

 _One barely hung on the most delicate thread, waiting to snap any second._

 _And one was strained immensely and tarnished with skeletons in closets._

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapter...**_

 _"Heather, please—" Lucas pleaded._

 _"How was she?"_

 _"Heather—"_

 _"I asked you a question. How. Was. She?" Heather glared._

 _..._

* * *

I'm really sorry the ending is all over the place. I admit I was rushing it to just get this chapter over with but I have a good reason for that. I'm working on a new story, one that I am very excited about. I'll publish that when I'm done with this one. I don't think I've published a new story in a long time and I actually love the story that I've yet to publish ^.^

Coming back to _this_ story, I know many of you wanted to see a whole chapter dedicated to Heather, but the chapter was becoming too long. It's already at 12600 words and I'm starting to lose track of what I'm writing, considering most of it was written a week or so ago. Props to the authors who post long chapters ^.^

I don't know about you guys, but I'm super excited. Hmm. Maybe because it's my first story on this fandom ^.^? Ugh, who the hell cares? I'm completing a story for the first time ever. I'm happy about that and that's all that matters :D!

 _ **NEXT DATE OF UPDATE: UNCERTAIN.**_ I changed the ending dramatically for this chapter. I wrote like 80% of the last chapter based on the first ending I had, which I have to ignore now and rewrite chapter 35 again.


	35. Closure

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Hey, guys! _Whazzup?! I'm finally back after my two-month hiatus!_** **I hope everyone had a great summer! :D**

So, this is _officially_ the **LAST** chapter of Shattered Heart! Oh my gosh, I'm so nervous but also super happy! Before I start, first and foremost, thank you so much to EVERYONE that took the time to read and critique my work! It's appreciated beyond measure! I also want to take the time to point out and _accept_ the mistakes _(the ones I noticed, but feel free to point out others!)_ I made throughout the story, including with the feedback I received:

 **1\. Make the chapters longer.** _Check._

 **2\. Include more drama because life and relationships aren't perfect.** _Check. Check. Check!_

 **3\. Give everyone a happy ending.** _Eh. Let's see and read till the end to find out._

 **4\. Stella's and Brandon's characterizations are _way_ _off_.** _Thank you so much to whoever said this. I've done this somewhat intentionally in the initial chapters to explore other depictions/characterizations, but I now understand that I'm totally off that since this fic could pass off as any random story. Since it's too late now, I will definitely take care of this in my other/new fics or post a heads-up saying that stories will be OOC. :)_

 **5\. Failure to proofread.** _This is my biggest mistake, but I'm usually too excited to post a chapter. Either that or I'm too lazy (probably this haha). I will try to proofread my own work from the next time :)_

 **6\. Grammatical/contextual errors.** _One_ other _mistake that I've made throughout the entire story was I kept referring to Brandon as a_ brunette _. I found out that this is conventionally inaccurate. I was looking for a term that's used to refer to black-haired people and I saw a site where_ brunettes _usually mean brown-haired females and_ brunets _are males. This is an honest mistake and I realized it way at the end. That was dumb, haha. Can't believe I didn't know that. xD However, I_ did _try to take care of that in this chapter, but I may have missed some, so please pardon those._

 **7\. Cringe alerts.** _Good lord. I was reading through the story from the beginning a couple days ago and I was cringing SO FREAKING BADLY!. I was such a lame author back then X_X Most likely still am. I'm too embarrassed to say anything else, so I'll just move on haha :P Fingers crossed that my future work isn't so *cringe*._

 **K, I've blabbed enough. Thank you once again to everyone for staying tuned and I hope you enjoy!**

 _P.S. **This chapter will be fast-paced** , meaning you might feel that **some scenes are skipped or were rushed too fast (and may be... *cough cough* CRINGEY *cough cough*** **)** and there are **TWO** reasons for that. __First and foremost, I didn't want the chapter to be too long to read (kinda failed at this already hehe :P)._ _And second, I wanted to finish this story at any cost because I really didn't want to make anyone else (including myself) wait anymore. This story has been continuing for almost two years now and at this point, I'm just itching to finish it. I don't know how much time I can invest in this story, considering there are so many other incomplete ones. Ones that I haven't updated in months and even years. So, with that said, I hope you understand! Thank you!_

* * *

 **~ Lucas' and Heather's House - 11:05 AM ~**

Lucas marched up the house only to blink when he saw his son already there. He must be here for Stella. _Looks like things are bleak with them as well._ Lucas sighed before climbing up to the porch. When did things go so wrong?

Brandon blinked as he turned around, noticing his father's abrupt presence out of nowhere. "You're here," the brunet commented before crossing his arms. "After what? Like two or three days?" he remarked, trying his absolute best to not sound angry.

Lucas didn't respond. Or at least, he didn't get a chance to as the door opened, revealing none other than Stella. The blonde blinked back and forth between them, a little surprised to see them both together.

"Technically, I did get here ten seconds before him," Brandon said, pointing to his right while throwing an angry glance towards his father.

Stella didn't respond to that, thankfully. Her shock quickly wore off as she stepped to the side. "Heather's inside," she said with tint of hesitance, earning a mildly grateful look from Lucas for not asking any further questions. Without a word, he nodded and slipped into the house while Stella stepped out to give them some privacy and maybe talk to her _own_ man. Relationships are ridiculously complex, aren't they?

* * *

Lucas closed the door behind him for some much-needed privacy before going to find Heather. He halted for a moment when he heard faint sounds in the living room. His stomach somersaulted while his throat grew dry. He involuntarily swallowed (gulping might've been more apt) before entering the living room where he saw Heather quietly curled up on a couch with a book in her hands. He couldn't tell if she was blankly staring at it or really reading it. Her eyes were so distant and vacant that she didn't look like the Heather he knew. _And whose fault is that?_ His conscious glared at him, menacing and unforgiving.

Heather looked up almost instantly when she saw him enter from her periphery. As a tiger waiting to pounce on its prey, she instantly snapped the book shut and threw it aside before standing up. Heather turned to him with cold, unforgiving eyes. "What are you doing here?" she glared.

Lucas glanced at her with shameful eyes. "Heather, I'm so—" he started, getting right to the point.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry, Lucas," Heather interrupted him icily, earning a sad, expectant frown from him. "You're _sorry_? For what exactly?" Heather scoffed at his _gall_ to merely _apologize_ for his philandering dalliances. "Sorry for cheating on me or for ruining your son's life or for letting him live under false blame?!" she demanded, her acrid tone rising with each second. "Please. _Do_ be specific," she spat sarcastically. Her blood boiled uncontrollably as her icy brown eyes refused to see _any_ reason Lucas could _possibly_ give to make her cool down.

Regardless of whether it'll be in the near future or sometime far away, Heather _knew_ she'll eventually forgive Brandon. _Yes,_ he shouldn't have lied, but when she thought about the humiliation he suffered for years — five, to be exact — her motherly instincts went into overdrive to protect her child from such devastation again. And to think...she slapped him. Heather's eyes sewed shut. She slapped him for something his father illicitly committed. She had to resist the urge to run out the door and apologize to her baby. Seeing all this circumstantial trauma and sadness her son inflicted on himself, she couldn't bear to hold a heavy heart, one that doesn't include forgiveness.

Meanwhile, Lucas sighed sorrowfully at her question. He didn't really have a response.

"He never did anything wrong, did he?" Heather asked resentfully with hot, angry tears pricking at her eyes.

The solemn, silent look from Lucas was all she needed to know before she nodded to herself in understanding. An involuntary tear rolled down her cheek, tainting the emotionless facade she worked so hard on to keep up for this _exact_ conversation. A conversation that should've taken place _days_ ago if her so-called husband hadn't disappeared. But that's another story for another minute. "How could you? He hated you for so long and you never felt guilty?" Heather asked with disgust. "Not even _once?_ "

"...Every moment," Lucas responded with a sad, melancholic tone.

"If you _really_ did, you would've admitted this a long time ago," Heather said bitterly.

"Did you really think it was easy for me, Heather?" Lucas asked with hurt. "It wasn't. I had to look at you every time and be reminded of what I've done to you and Brandon."

"We were at least happy, Luke!" Heather retorted back, unwilling to give him any sympathy. "He wasn't and you know that! How could you be happy every waking second, knowing that you're the one responsible for what happened to—"

"Alright, I get it!" Lucas interrupted with a firm tone, stunning her for a moment. "I get it," he repeated in a softer tone. He knew he messed up. He knew that. But there wasn't a single thing he can do to change his past no matter how much he wanted to.

 _"Lucas Alexander Shields, did you just SNAP at me?_ " Heather slowly growled, taking a baleful step forwards.

Lucas felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple and down his chin. He instantly raised his hands in surrender. "I apologize. No. I didn't mean to," he said.

She tossed him a glare and was tempted to argue about something as petty as this (it would've been petty if she still considered him her husband AND if HE had considered her his wife and not went on a cheating spree) but there were much more pressing matters at hand. "You get it then, don't you?" she mocked with bitter sarcasm. "Do your really though?" Heather asked, crossing her arms. "Then, where were you? Where were you for the past two days? You disappeared, Lucas. You just _left,_ " she accused with her voice rising by each second.

Lucas closed his eyes for a moment, knowing that he made things a whole lot worse by doing that. But he hadn't tried to run away. "I wanted to give you space, Heather."

Heather gazed at her so-called husband as he stood in front of her guiltily. _Space?_ It didn't make any sense to her. "...Liars. Both of you. That's what you are. And we're the ones caught between your never-ending webs of lies..." she said brokenly. _Herself, Stella, Flora..._ neither deserved this. How will their family ever _be_ a family again? Is there even a crack of hope? How was anyone going to fix this when all everyone's willing to do is "give her space?!"

Lucas took a few steps closer to her. He knew what he did was wrong. But...in all honesty...he never felt so liberated and so free up until two or three days ago. Despite knowing that he deeply hurt his wife, he was glad that the truth finally came out. Even though it didn't come out in a way he wanted it to. "...I'm sorry, Heather. I truly am," he softly said. "I'd do anything to go back and change that."

Tears pricked her eyes at the unbelievably real sincerity in his tone. "How many times?" she sniffled. "How many times did you cheat on me?" she asked. She didn't even know _why_ she asked in the first place. She didn't want to know. She dreaded the answer. She was afraid of it, if anything else. The truth is the one of the scariest things in life and unfortunately, she wasn't prepared to face it.

"...Once," Lucas answered sorrowfully.

Despite it being once, Heather's heart still broke. What did she do to deserve to see her husband stand a foot away from her like a _criminal?_

"Well. Did you enjoy it?" Heather sniffled. She knew that whatever answer Lucas gives her, it will only break her heart even more. But she needed to know _why_ he did what he did.

Lucas's eyes widened. "Heather, please—" he started, pleading for her to not go there.

"How was she?" Heather repeated, raising an edge to her tone. She felt disgusted to even say the name.

"Heather—"

"I asked you a question, Lucas. How. Was. She?" Heather asked, throwing him a glare through her tears. "Answer the damn question."

Lucas gazed into her fiery eyes. What was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to answer?

Good?

Bad?

 _Different?_

There wasn't a single part of that disgustingly sinful memory that he wanted to recall. It broke his son's heart and tore off his engagement with the woman he loved. _That's_ what he remembered. "...I don't remember," he answered after much thought. "I felt ridden with guilt that I don't remember," he said honestly. "I'm so, so sorry, Heather," he whispered with a condemned, repenting voice.

Heather stared at him for a long moment. She believed him. She believed his sincerity that he's truly guilty of what he's done. _Ironic,_ isn't it? _Very._ Believing a liar...believing a cheater...believing someone who's lied to you and swept their wrongdoings under the rug and acted innocent...

 _Wow._ Yet...she couldn't explain why. She didn't know _why_ she trusted his words. It was pathetic, wasn't it? To still believe them despite all the shit they put you through?

Yes. It's true. She believed him. _BUT_ handing out forgiveness without a price even for sincere, tear-filled apologies has never been recorded in known human history. "You don't deserve to ask for my forgiveness, Lucas," Heather finally said. "Every action has consequences. And...you need to live with yours."

Lucas understood the underlying impending implication of Heather's words.

 _Divorce._

It broke his heart at what she suggested, but...he was okay with it. He is ready to pay for that.

 _However heartbroken and shattered he may be, at least this way... he'll be able to serve his penance._

"...Alright," he stuttered without putting up any more fight, tears finally rolling down his face.

 _And find some closure._

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 12:28 PM ~**

"Will you hold on to the ring for me?" Brandon asked softly.

Stella dumbly nodded, feeling the weight of his ring burning a hole through her pocket.

A faint smile touched his lips at her answer. He raised his hand up to stroke her cheek with his thumb while his fingers curled around her neck. A surprised gasp left her throat when his lips touched hers. His free arm slowly snaked around her waist, pressing her firmly to himself. Stella closed her eyes before reciprocating as the world around her slowly dissipated, along with her fears and worries. He made her feel like nothing else mattered. Though it felt like an eternity, the kiss lasted only a few, short seconds. They finally pulled away, both almost at the same time.

Brandon gazed at her, his eyes sparkling with tenderness and love. Her eyes were full of questions and curiosity. _Will he really return like he said he would?_

"I promise," he vowed, answering her unvoiced question. "I promise," he repeated. He held her face in his hands, memorizing every one of her features as it'll probably be a while before he can see her again. "I swear to you," he whispered. "I'll come back."

Stella felt her eyes water. "Why?" she asked in a choked voice. "Why can't you stay?" she asked. "Where are you even going?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

He hadn't thought of that far yet. "I don't know," he answered the third question truthfully. _As for the rest...he has no other choice._ "For now, I'm leaving," he said vaguely before kissing her forehead softly.

"Leaving?" She sniffled. "This city or...me?" she asked, tearing up again.

He glanced back and forth between her curious, hopeful eyes. _The eyes he loved so damn much._ They were always filled with warmth, love, and joy, but this time, they held pain, tears, and sadness. All three which he _loathed_ to see in her. He wished he could change that. Even if he can _(hopefully),_ it can only happen in due time. "...Both," he answered in a soft whisper.

Without any further words, he stepped back from Stella. She watched him, heartbroken as he walked backwards. She blinked when his hand finally slipped away from hers, his fingers no longer warming hers. She blankly dragged her feet towards the front door and silently watched him get into his car. Stella stood as a single tear slipped past her eyes.

Her eyes struggled to endure the reality of him leaving. _How could he?_

He gazed at her with a covetous yen through the windshield. Her heart cooed to him to stop this madness and come back to her. Her sight blurred even more when he turned on the ignition. _Come back,_ she asked, but her voice ceased to live long ago.

She didn't believe in torn relationships. She believed in heartening a relationship for as long as possible. _What an irony._ The worst trait about both of them is that both had the tendency to walk away rather than come together and fix their issues. It was her last year and this year, it's him. With their little egos, why was this even surprising?

Deadpanned, Stella didn't shed another tear as she saw him finally pull out of the driveway. _Odd._ In situations like these, she's typically the one to cry a few freshets. But she didn't want to. Not this time. She point-blank _refused_ to accept that they were over. _Again._ She refused to go through a bigger heartbreak than the one she endured last year.

 _Uh-uh. Pass. No, thank you._

As she remembered his last words, a flame of hope burned in her heart. For her own sanity, she had to keep burning it. Her eyes luminously dazzled with a newfound resolve. She tightly fisted her hand, which held his wedding band.

 _He'll come back._

He'll come back to her. She just knew it. He just had to. He can't leave her. He can't give up on them and neither can she. He'll come back to her one day. And she believed that with all of her heart.

 _Because he promised._

* * *

 _ **An hour later...**_

Stella found herself curled up on the couch, moping pitifully. She felt sick to her stomach and she wanted to cry. She wanted someone to wake her up and tell her that this was just a big, fat nightmare. She suppressed the tears. She looked around the house while occasionally sniffling. Every corner, every crevice, every inch reminded her of him and the memories they built in here.

The house that was once too small to contain their joy, laughter, and happiness was now even smaller to hold her tears. She felt as if she's staring at an abandoned house. She feared that if she started to cry, then that pain will never end. If she let all of it out...it's never going to stop.

She sniffled, dabbing at her eyes to make sure she doesn't start bawling any second. She dragged herself off the couch and stood up. She sighed softly to herself before going upstairs. She glanced back and forth to the front door in hopes that he'll hop back into the house and say this is all just a dramatic joke and that he really wasn't leaving. She saw their bedroom was closed shut.

Stella remembered how this was his bedroom initially and she was somewhere downstairs doing her own thing. A nostalgic smile touched her eyes as she realized how far they'd come along. She hated to say it, but things were _better_ back then. The four months Brandon and she spent together in New Jersey after getting together were really the best parts of their relationship. It was nothing but bliss though there _was_ a downside back then. She remembered being full of questions about him. Let's be honest. She didn't know the guy. Every fact he revealed about himself left her puzzled and surprised.

 _But would she give all of that up if it meant they could be happy today?_

She bit her lip as she opened the door.

 _...I don't know,_ she answered her own question. Would she rather give everything she knew about him and have a fun relationship with him _OR_ know everything about him and risk losing him? Guess the saying's really true. The truth really does hurt.

Her eyes widened at the scene before her. This room looked way different than the image she had in mind. She was expecting to see broken vases, ripped-apart pillows, flying feathers, and _(ouch)_ dried blood. But...there was none of that clutter.

Instead, the bed was enveloped with ivory-white, satin cotton sheets with red accents and rose petal embroidery. The pillows were covered in matching cases. The furniture in the room was also moved around. If not for the drama in their relationship, Stella would've definitely smiled harder at this new change. She gently closed the door behind her and approached the bed with light footsteps. She reverently rubbed her fingers along the soft sheets. She picked up the pillows and rested her face against them with a faint smile, letting her cheek feel the coolness of velvety pillowcases. Even the comforter was thick, resembling a puffy but warm cloud.

With a tired sigh, she threw her legs onto the bed and comfortably arched her head back at the irresistible relief the new sheets gave her. She lay down and pulled the comforter over her, losing herself in the softness of the mattress. She felt warm but also incredibly cold as the sheets did nothing to alleviate her worry. Her weary eyes soon shut close after sleep forcibly lulled her into a peaceful oblivion after days of resistance.

* * *

 _ **Hours later...**_

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's House - 9:00 PM ~**

After some much-needed rest, Stella returned back to see Heather to update her as well. She wondered if Lucas was home but seeing that his car is nowhere in the driveway, she assumed it was safe to intrude. Whatever Lucas and Heather talked about must be intense. The latter looked weary and stressed. Stella wondered how Heather could be so strong. She seriously didn't need any consoling! The lady seemed fine, but then again, Heather was never really the type to impose her worries on anyone.

Stella on the other hand...

 _Now she needed some serious help._

"He _left?!_ What do you mean he _left?!"_ Heather asked in astonishment.

Stella curled up on the couch in the living room before nuzzling her face into the pillow. "He thinks we don't need him anymore," Stella replied sadly, her voice coming out as muffled and illegible. "Bastard," she mumbled.

Heather shook her head before snatching the pillow from the blonde. "He said what?" she asked, telling the blonde to repeat herself.

Stella sighed in sadness. "He thinks we don't need him!" she said loudly. "He called himself a monster. He thinks he's beyond repair..." she trailed off in tears, sniffling.

 _Excuse me?_ Heather stared at her. "What?" she asked in shock.

"He said he'll be back only if he thinks he deserves to," Stella sniffled, drawing her knees to her chest. Heather felt speechless at this new turn of events.

Stella exhaled and buried her face between her knees. From what she knew about Brandon, he was a really harsh critic of himself. If he made a mistake, he'll realize it a little late, but once he does, he goes into oblivion and judges himself as the worst. He literally gives out the worst convictions for himself. If he's going to do the same now, Stella wondered _when_ or, rather, _if_ he'll really be back.

* * *

 **~ Somewhere Else - 2:25 AM ~**

Chris sat by Skylar's bedside and watched her sniffle. After crying for over an hour in his arms, he forced her to get some sleep, but the stubborn, raven-haired, volatile female just _doesn't_ listen. He splayed his palm over her forehead before retracting it slowly.

"I'm fine," Skylar snapped.

Chris didn't let her harsh tone affect him in the slightest. Her voice, laced with pain and torment, only propelled him to stay. He gazed at her, concerned. "Get some sleep, Sky," Chris told her with worry.

"I said I'm fine," she retaliated. "You can leave. Bye," she fumed before turning to the other side.

He shook his head at her tone, unfazed. At first, it was biting (can he say _bitchy?)_ , but now it's just childishly adorable. The more hurt she is, the more she tries to hide it by insulting people left and right. Having gotten used to this, he stayed this time, knowing that he would've left if she had asked a month or two ago. He rubbed his hands together slightly before taking a deep breath. "...Take care of yourself, Sky. I can't come by like this all the time; you know?" he said, an almost sad smile tugging at his lips.

 _Hmm?_ Skylar's ears twitched at his tone before she turned to him again. "...Are you leaving?" she asked.

Chris shrugged. "More like relocating," he answered. "Next week."

"...Why?" she asked curiously. _He was leaving...?_

He laughed at her question. "I'm a career-oriented man," he answered plainly.

Skylar stayed silent. She sat up slowly before asking him curiously. "Where are you going?"

"Dallas," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. A long pause of silence ensued after which he took a deep breath. He stood up with a little slap to his knees. "Well, I have to get going. I can't stay here all night with you," he chuckled.

For some reason, Skylar felt her heart grow heavy. Since she came to New York, Chris had been the only person who actually gave a damn about her. He was her only *cough cough* friend *cough cough*. "I thought you said your place had a gas leak," she pointed out, despite very well knowing that he lied.

"It must be fixed by now," he chuckled, giving her a small wink.

She gasped when he suddenly bent and gave her a tight, warm hug. "Take care of yourself, Sky," he told her warmly with best wishes. With that, he let her go before flashing her a gentle smile and then going along on his way.

For a long moment, Skylar stared at her lap before raising her head in the direction he just left to. "Take care, Chris," she murmured.

* * *

 _ **The following afternoon...**_

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 3:15 PM ~**

Stella yawned as she walked downstairs to answer the dumb doorbell that's been ringing incessantly for the last ten seconds. She didn't get a wink of sleep last night. Having woken hours ago, each minute felt almost like an eternity when she remembered that _he's_ not by her side anymore.

She sighed at the doorbell before walking up to answer it. "Why can't people just leave me alone?!" she grumbled but nonetheless was grateful for the distraction. She blinked in surprise to see who stood at the front door. "Chris...?" she asked, puzzled.

"...Hey. Can I come in?" Chris asked softly.

She stared at him with bemusement before nodded and standing sideways to let him in. "What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion. "And yeah, c'mon."

Chris shifted from one foot to another in guilt. He preferred to stand actually, considering he's willing to bet his salary that she'll kick him out right after he explains his reason for being here. "I actually want to talk to you for a few minutes," he said hesitantly before putting his hands into his pockets.

She nodded. "Is everything okay?"

Chris looked down at his shoes before shaking his head slightly. "I need to tell you something," he took a deep breath before lifting his head to meet her inquisitive eyes. _It's now or never,_ he sighed before clearing his mind. He opened his mouth to speak. "Stella..." he started.

Ten minutes later, Stella found herself staring at him dumbfounded. Chris confessed to everything. How he teamed up with Skylar to win the blonde's affection while the other worked super hard to tarnish Stella's character and reputation.

"You what?" she whispered in shock.

"I'm sorry, Stella," he said guiltily. "I really liked you, but I let you go when I realized how happy you were with Brandon," he sincerely apologized with sorrow in his eyes. "I had nothing to do with what happened on Brandon's birthday."

Not knowing what to say, Stella rubbed her arms which was a nervous habit of hers. "...Thank you for being honest," she said quietly.

He nodded slightly. "I'm sorry, Stella. If I had known—"

"It doesn't matter anymore, Chris. Please. I'm over it," Stella said with a sigh. _There's no use crying over spilt milk._ "Thanks for telling me," she said.

"Are you...angry?" he carefully asked. "Not that you don't have any right to be."

"At this point, I think I'm too tired to be angry," she said softly.

Chris sighed, realizing that it would just be best to give her space. "I want you to know that I really do care about you, Stella. I understand if you're mad at me—"

"I'm not," she interrupted him. "I really am not," she truthfully said. "Thank you, Chris."

He nodded. "Take care, Stella. You deserve to be happy. I mean it."

"Thank you," she smiled sadly. "Um, you too."

He patted her shoulder gently before nodding to her. "Take care," he repeated before turning to leave with a sigh.

Stella watched him leave before turning to close the door. She didn't know how she was so calm. While she wasn't exactly besties with Chris, she still considered her a good friend. Any other day, she'd probably blow up at him, but the rational part of her kept mum.

Curling up into a ball on a sofa, she sighed and looked out the windows, feeling incredibly mopey. It was a gloomy day in New York. It felt as if everyone had some problem looming over them.

* * *

 _ **A while later...**_

Stella sat on the king-sized bed in the master bedroom before running her eyes gloomily across the room. His clothes were still here. His closet wasn't fully closed. She slid down from the bed before hopping to the walk-in closet. She stepped into it before gently letting her fingers brush through the fabric of his shirts. He left every trace of him back here. Every artifact belonging to him reminded her of the painful fact that he left. _He left._ He left her.

That was the bitter, sad, heartbreaking truth. Their relationship wasn't working. _Not anymore._ It's like he said. It was toxic. Maybe it was. But she didn't feel that way. Yes, they _both_ had problems. But it's nothing a little therapy can't fix.

 _Right?_

The Brandon she knew never gave up on anything. That's the kind of man he was. He'd move mountains or die trying. She knew him.

 _Did she though?_

She questioned herself again with insane delusions. Maybe he left because he was sick of the fate they've come to. Maybe the two were never supposed to meet. Maybe this was life's way of punishing them.

Stella sat on the bed quietly as she stared at the shirt in her hands. Not a tear left her lips as her gaze was left fixated on the fabric. "Stupid jerk," she whispered. He was older than her by two years, yet, he had no clue that the only way to fix a relationship is to actually _fix it._ How does leaving help?

She took off her shirt before putting his on. She never felt so cold. She was so used to sleeping with him that sleeping without him felt impossible and...it just didn't feel right. She snuggled into the covers and pretended that he was with her somehow, but she knew he wasn't. Her body physically ached for his presence and there wasn't anything she could do about it. She sniffled, drawing her knees to her chest.

 _Why? Why does it have to be him? Why did he have to go?_

She sniffled.

 _Why can't it be—_

Stella suddenly sat up straight. Wait a second. "Why can't _I_ go to him?" she wondered out loud. He left out of guilt. He left, branding himself as a demon. He left, thinking that she deserved not him, but someone better than him. He, however, forgot that there will be no one better than him for her. No one can ever match up to him. He was hurting just as much as she was, but two other emotions burdened him. _Guilt and compunction._

Yet...he _still_ promised. He promised that he'll someday return. Just that he was unclear about _when_ he'll go about doing that. But she can't sit for that long. She can't wait for him to get over himself because knowing him, he'll never be able to forgive himself.

Stella hopped off the bed, a newfound hope brewing in her veins. She immediately flew downstairs to get her laptop. She wondered if there was a way she could find him.

Cuddling into the L-shaped sofa, she opened her laptop in the living room. Her face illuminated as the screen glowed. Typing in her password, she opened the browser. "Where could he have gone?" Stella mused, tapping her chin in thought. After thinking for a moment, she decided to open his bank accounts. He must've at least taken his wallet, right? No one ever leaves without their wallets even when they're running away. It's Basic Survival 101. She opened up the recent transactions made on his card and looked through each record, crossing her fingers in hopes of finding _something._

Her amber-honey eyes brightened instantly when she saw that the most recent transaction was just last night. _A hotel?_ she questioned, narrowing her eyes slightly as she studied in concentration.

"Hmm..."

Well, it's clear that he checked into a hotel, but she couldn't tell which one. _But,_ as far as she knew, a copy of every reservation made at a hotel is sent to your email. Shrugging, she ransacked his emails open before checking his inbox.

Her eyes lit up with excitement when, indeed, there was a read email from a hotel at the very top, thanking the customer for making a reservation and staying with them. She jotted down the address on her phone before opening it in maps. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she saw the results.

"...Did he seriously travel a hundred miles?" she blinked in shock, gaping at the route. He did say he was leaving the city and her, but she didn't think he would really live up to it!

 _Well._

No worries. He can travel to the other side of the earth and she'd still follow him. So _there._

Her eyes dimmed slightly when she felt the ring in her pocket weigh her down again. With a soft, sad sigh, she took it out before looking at it devotedly. "I'm not giving up on you, Brand," she softly told the ring. "I can't," she closed her eyes in pain. She held his ring tightly before softly kissing it. This was the closest — not to mention _precious_ — thing she had in memory of him.

* * *

Two hours later, Stella found herself on the highway, following the GPS. She had to borrow Heather's car for hers had been left back in NJ. She hoped her little trip isn't for a waste. She hoped he'll come back home. Or, _God forbid,_ she'll drag his ass home by his ear. Stella drove along the road a little too impatiently. She had to literally fight the urge to speed off.

* * *

 _ **An hour and a half later...**_

"Unbelievable," Stella grumbled. "Absolutely unbelievable," she shook her head when she saw the hotel in view. Following the GPS, she took an exit to the right before cutting the device off and pulling into the hotel.

He ran away from home to stay in a freaking lodge in the middle of an interstate. _Reeeaaaally cozy._ If he isn't here and left already to who-knows-where, then she was in some deep mud. She shook her head, refusing to entertain that and holding firmly on to her hope.

She couldn't sit strapped to her seat long enough as she quickly parked the car and hopped out immediately. Grabbing her phone and essentials, she made her way inside the hotel before finding the receptionist. "Hello, welcome to Sleep Inn," the receptionist greeted her with a pleasant, welcoming smile. "How can I help you today, Ma'am?" He seemed to be a little older than her, probably in his early thirties.

Stella fidgeted with her hands, not knowing where to start. This is gonna be awkward. Not to mention embarrassing! "Good evening, um, I'm actually looking for my husband. Brandon Shields. He checked in here last night and I wanted to surprise him," she sheepishly replied before showing the email on her phone, containing the reservation. She felt self-conscious and thoroughly stupid and dumb. Who makes such requests anyway?

"Oh. I see," the receptionist replied somewhat dubiously before glancing back and forth between her and the phone. "Do you have an ID? A proof of your marriage, perhaps?"

Stella simply showed him her driver's license, the one she received after coming to New York. Unfortunately, it only showed Stella Solaria and not Stella Shields. Besides, she doubted a marriage license will work anyway. Well, first things first. Did they ever officially register their marriage? Um. _No._ Even if they did, it doesn't prove that the marriage is still sustaining.

The receptionist turned back to her. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but unfortunately, I'm afraid due to the hotel's policy, we can't give you access to this reservation. I can, however, call him to the lobby if he's here."

 _So much for surprising him,_ she cursed under her breath. "Sure, that'll work," she sighed before nodding. Whatever. It's somewhat better than nothing.

Stella sat in one of the chairs before waiting impatiently. The receptionist disappeared behind the counter to presumably make the call, making her even more antsy.

Minutes passed, but Brandon was still nowhere in sight. _Where is he?!_ She sighed restively. Her legs shook with anticipation as she tightly gripped the sides of the chair. Shouldn't he be here by now? Did he go somewhere? Wait. Why on earth would he? Sighing, she paid attention to the sounds of elevator doors opening and closing but he still wasn't here.

A few seconds later, another elevator arrived, and she waited with bated breath, crossing her fingers in hope. She stood up with a soft gasp when her repeated prayers indeed paid off and she saw a familiar, tall brunet enter the hall with his dark brown eyes scouring around the hall curiously. Her breath caught in her throat when his eyes suddenly fell on her within moments. Her eyes widened slightly at his state. _Oh...Christ._ His hair was wild and unruly. His eyes were tired. She knew this is scientifically not possible considering she only saw him _yesterday,_ but he honestly looked like he lost ten pounds. He looked exhausted. He walked towards her while mumbling something to himself, something she couldn't quite hear. He stopped just inches before her and let out a short sigh of sadness.

"What are you doing here?" Brandon softly asked with a tender look in his weary eyes. He didn't even bother with the how. He was too tired to. And besides, she probably just ransacked his emails to get here.

Stella looked around before turning back to him. "Can we go somewhere private?" she asked.

He stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding. He told her to wait for a few moments before going to the reception and presumably having her name added to the reservation. He returned within a minute or two. "Come on," he said, gesturing her inside.

She followed him to the elevator. He pressed the fourth button and soon, the doors closed. The ride upstairs was quiet, both parties not saying a single word. Traveling up a couple of floors, the elevator soon let out a familiar _ding_ and they both passed through the opened doors. Stella followed him down the hallway before he stopped at a door to the left and slid his key in. After hearing a soft beep, he opened the door before entering the room. She followed suit before stopping for a moment to hang the _Do Not Disturb_ sign outside and then closing the door shut behind her.

"I can't believe you ran a hundred miles away from the city," Stella flared openly the second the door closed, getting down directly to the point and tossing him a pointed glare. Sorry, but she isn't in patient baby talk mode. Been there, done that. "What were you thinking?!" she questioned with incredulity, grabbing his arm.

Brandon looked down at her before softly responding. "What are you doing here, Stell?" he asked, ignoring her questions in the process.

She fought the urge to scoff. _Playing baseball, that's what._ "Why don't you take a wild guess?" she sarcastically asked, clearly wounded as to why he could even _ask_ such a thing. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" she asked bitterly. "Do you have any idea how worried sick your family is? Or are you selfish enough to think only about yourself?! Newsflash, Brandon! You're not the only one hurting," she snapped stubbornly. _Man._ She thought she'd straight up start bawling at the sight of him but now she was just gloriously mad.

"I know," he simply answered, expecting her anger and outbursts.

She appeared a little taken aback by his immediate response. "Well, clearly not enough!" she retorted right on cue. "You're out in the middle of nowhere, doing _god-knows-what,_ and you're acting like I don't even matter—"

"I'm not," he interrupted her softly. He let out a weary sigh. He reached to hold her smaller hand in his, surprising her with his touch. He let out another small, sad sigh before stroking the back of her hand tenderly with his thumb. "You've always mattered to me, Stell," he told her. He leaned in just a few inches closer. "Always," he told her, his voice becoming softer. His body flared with yearning while his eyes flashed with passion but only for a quick moment, letting his powerfully silent reactions answer most of her questions instantly.

She breathed deeply as she lost herself in his warm gaze. "...Then why? Why are you here?" she asked, genuinely lost. "What the hell is this place?" she asked, looking around with distaste. "This isn't home." She watched him let out a deep sigh before silently being…just there. _No response._ Why wasn't he saying anything? She's been afraid all this time that she might never see him again. But him? He hasn't reciprocated at least an _ounce_ of her feelings. Wasn't he at least a _tiny_ bit happy that she's here? She had so many questions for him, so many things to say and share, but all he wanted to know was what the hell she was doing here and presumably she was going to hightail outta here too. "…Do you want me to leave?" she finally asked after seeing him so silent. "Is that really what you want?" she asked. She felt absolutely crushed that he'd rather abandon her than look her in the eye and ask for a second chance. She wanted him to properly apologize, get the _hell_ over himself, and _plead_ for another chance.

"You know I don't," he softly said, gazing at her. He struggled to hold her in his arms and tell her just how much he loved her but...he stayed put.

"Then why are you so quiet?" she asked again, genuinely lost.

For a solid minute, he gazed at her vacantly before his feet finally moved towards her, caving in to his desire and closing the gap between them. Their feet brushed against each other's. Stella felt her still heart pick up its pace and start to thud against her chest. She sucked in a soft breath when she felt his hands fold around her face. Ugh. She's _hopeless._ They're in the middle of a very quiet fight right now, but here she is swooning over his touch. Unaware of her internal dilemmas, his eyes darted back and forth between her honey-brown eyes as he let out a small, sad sigh. "Because I can't look at you without being terrified," he said honestly, answering her question. Stella felt her body go slack as he pulled her into an amorous embrace before folding his arms around her softly pliant body. "Terrified that I'll hurt you again. Terrified that I'll break your heart again," he said sadly, resting his chin atop her head. His voice was weak and broken. Almost as if he lost all energy to cry, let alone ask for another chance.

Swallowing at his words, she felt dismal tears sting her eyes. "...But…that wasn't even you. You didn't cheat on me. We had a misunderstanding and aren't we—" she tried to protest, looking for just about any reason to convince him.

Noticing her involuntary attempts to thwart a stupendous issue into something inconsequential, a small smile uplifted his lips. _His ever-so-optimistic Sunshine._ "This isn't about that and you know it," he interrupted gently. He took a deep breath. "This is about me being out of control. This is about me being unable to control my anger. This is about showing you hell on a day that was supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives," he said in a choked voice, his own words slicing his heart open. It's harder to admit mistakes than people let on. Especially to your loved ones. And even more so especially to the woman he loved. He felt heartbroken and he didn't know how to deal with this. _Despite having years of experience with this shit._ He should sign up to be an ambassador for heartbreak. He'd win in a jiff. "That's how fucked up I am," he said quietly. "I can't claim to love you when all I do is hurt you."

Stella's eyes watered at how quiet and regretful he truly seemed. Why wouldn't _anyone_ forgive such a sincere man? Why would he think that forgiveness is only once-in-a-lifetime blessing? It isn't.

 _She forgave him._

When you really love someone, you can easily tell whether they're lying or being honest in the blink of an eye. You know them inside and out. And she truly believed in her heart that he was just as grief-stricken as much as she was about what happened between them. Perhaps even more.

"Please…" he sighed. "Please...just...just just leave me be," he whispered, closing his statements. "Find someone who'll love you better than I ever can." Tears filled his eyes before a couple of them dove down his cheeks. He considered himself blessed for at least being able to see her, talk to her, and hold her even if it does happen to be the last time.

 _He was heartbroken. He wanted her so badly. He cried into his arm, his heart yearning desperately for her. So, imagine his surprise when the receptionist downstairs called him and said his wife was asking to see him and if she was allowed to be here. He sat up straight and froze at the news as the phone threatened to be crushed to pieces at how tightly he was holding onto it._

 _-:-:-_

 _He suddenly saw her at his doorstep with her eyes ever so earnest and hopeful. He had to resist the urge to slap himself back to reality as she stood only a few meters away from him in the waiting hall. She can't be here. She just can't. Why is she here? Shouldn't she be glad? That a monster like him is gone?_

 _So, why—_

Her angelic, enchanting voice brought him back to reality as he looked down at her. His eyes softened when he saw tears in her eyes. "What are you going to tell everyone?" Stella asked in a choked voice. "Heather, Lucas, Flora, and..." she trailed off, causing him to look at her. "...And me," she finished, biting her lip slightly. "At least stay for them if not for me," she said as a tear slid down her cheek. At least she can make up some pitiful excuse to see him if he's close by.

He frowned and gently swiped his thumb against her cheek. "Don't cry," he softly said. "Haven't you done enough of that already?"

Stella hated how calm he sounded. She hated how easily he can just ask those questions. These questions _don't_ have answers! She stared at him with frustration before pushing him away and stepping back, stunning him momentarily. "I'm crying because you're a coward!" she reproached miserably, unleashing her pent-up frustration. _That's an understatement._ She was _done_ babying him till now. "Brandon, please! All you're doing is making us miserable. We love you and we want you with us," she stated with determination, mewling with frustration and wondering exactly _what_ it would take to get through his unbelievably thick skull. "Going into exile is not going to prove anything. The only way to prove that you love us is if you show us. And I'm not sure how you can do that by being a hundred miles away." She took a deep breath, panting. "If it was the other way around...would you allow me to leave?" she asked desperately. "Am I allowed to?"

"No," he answered vehemently without a blink of hesitation. _Of course, he wouldn't._ "No...you're not."

"Then why would I leave you, dammit!?" she demanded. "All I wanted for us was to talk. You know…instead of being at each other's throats, why can't we just…chat? I don't want us to fight anymore…" she explained, yearning for him to open his eyes and see reason.

He remained quiet. What is he supposed to say now? In his eyes, he didn't even have a chance with her anymore. He ruined that with her on purpose. He was beyond redemption. If he'll never be with her, there will never be any plausibility of being hostile with each other again. He can't just forget—

"I don't want you to feel guilty anymore. Can't we just...can't we just move on? We're not going to pretend like it never happened, but we _are_ going to move past it," she said, her voice interrupting his train of thought. Seeing him impassively gazing at her, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She felt like she was losing hope all over again. She tugged on his shirt and shook it slightly to get his attention. "What do I do? What can I do to change your mind?" She knew that if she asked anyone else for advice, they'd tell her to not beg so much and just leave him be. But she can't. Her mind screamed for her to run the other way but her heart refused to budge. She can't leave him and move on. He's worth too much to her.

Brandon took a deep breath. "It's for your own good," he softly said with sad eyes. "Do you think that I'm in paradise?" he asked rhetorically. He's not. He's even more devastated than she was since he's responsible for pushing her away. _Again._ For the _second_ time. All of the past times where he had lost complete control despite whatever justifications he had provided back then...he was a monster. All day, he couldn't stop wishing. Wishing to back to that _one_ moment where his past self had shown her hell on earth and slap the living daylights out of him.

"So... we're not going to be together anymore? Is that what you're saying?" she sniffled. "So…if I hadn't found you, yesterday was the last time I would've ever seen you? Were you even going to come back at all?" she bombarded him with questions. He made a promise, didn't he? One filled with will and determination? If this was what they had to come to _now,_ did he make a promise to her he knew he wouldn't keep?

He remained silent.

"I'll leave eventually from here. With or without you," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. "You're a grown man. Clearly, I can't make your decisions for you," she said. "…And for the record, I'll never find anyone who can love me as much as you do," she finished. "And I don't want to find anyone else. You're the man I love and that will never change," she said, her amber depths flaring with determination. He can push her to leave all he wants to. But he can't dictate whom she should give out her heart to. Loving someone isn't as simple or easy as an on-and-off switch.

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh before raking a hand, combing through his chestnut mane and making it even more unruly.

Despite her tenacity to make it work, she couldn't restrain, much less slow the tears that wet her cheeks. And soon after, she was crying into his chest. She'd really lose it if she had to leave from here without him. "Please don't leave," she whispered weakly, yearning for him. She cried her heart out and he listened with agony. Her knees buckled and she would've slid to the floor if not for his arms supporting her.

"All we do is fight all the time, Stell. And every time, it's _you_ that gets hurt," he pressed, his voice just barely a notch above a weak whisper. "I can't take this anymore. I love you too much and you're too beautiful to deserve this."

"And yet, I'm still here. I'm still willing to try. Why aren't you?" she sniffled, looking up at him with glassy eyes. She didn't want him to plunge himself into any more abject anguish. Whatever's happened has happened. Neither wielded the power to amend the events, but they do have one thing in common: _a chance to reform their past with a promising future._

His eyes blinked back tears of his own while his thumbs gently wiped the moisture underneath her eyes. He cupped her face before softly kissing her forehead. She rested against his shirt while sniffling. "Why, love?" he asked tenderly. "Why do you still want me?" he asked.

"You're worth it, that's why," she sniffled. She looked up at him with love and longing. She knew how much it physically ached to be away from him last year. She wasn't going to let that happen again. When you ignore history, you're bound to repeat it.

"No, I'm not worth anythi—" he tried to protest before he was interrupted.

Feeling her hope slipping away _again_ by his own protests of guilt _,_ Stella let out a tired, tearful sigh. She almost cast her eyes downwards in shame. With a shivering breath, she glanced up at him one final time through her lashes. "You're the one that screwed us over, you're the one that lied, you're the one with anger management issues, but _I'm_ the one having to beg you!?" she sniffled, her voice rising with each accusation. She felt her blood bubble with frustrated anger. "I was wrong," she whispered as tears fell from her cheeks. His face held confusion as she spoke. "I was so wrong. You're not the coward. I am. I'm the pathetic one for still wanting you back because…" she trailed off, humiliated at her drastically obvious weakness when it came to him. "…Because I'm terrified that I won't make it without you," she admitted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

His eyes softened at her explanation and even more so at her pleading cries. "Stell—"

"No," she shook her head, holding up her hand and moving out of his arms. She can't stand him saying how much he hurt her, how she deserved someone else, and all that _bullllllshit._ She was tired of this back-and-forth, going-nowhere argument. She wiped her face with the back of her sleeve before taking another step back from him. "I'll be fine," she whispered weakly. "If you don't want me anymore, then _fine._ I'll…I'll…" she paused to catch her breath and think for an apt response. "You know what? I'll get over you. I'll move on from you at any cost and I'll pretend that this stupid marriage or you never happened. You're right. I should go out and meet another man who'll actually love me enough to stay by my side," she panted, trying to catch her breath. "Someone who actually _gives_ a damn about me and doesn't run away from me," she sniffled in anger. "And _you…"_ she seethed. She'll never forgive him for this. "You can stay right here," she said through angry tears, poking a firm index finger to his chest.

Tears rained down her cheeks as she threw him a hateful glare. He broke her heart. He crushed her soul to pieces without a care. That cruel bastard. She bit her lip to stop a sob before abruptly turning around to leave. She definitely knew when she's not needed anymore. If she isn't wanted despite her numerous attempts to convince him otherwise, she sure as hell wasn't going to stay here.

Brandon grabbed her wrist in surprise. "Stella, wait—"

She stopped in her tracks momentarily to violently shake his hand off from her. "Don't touch me!" she snapped before her hands flew towards the door handle. Why does he want her now?

Brandon took a long stride towards her. "Stell—"

Stella opened the door before suddenly gasped when it slammed shut with Brandon's hand pressed firmly to it. "What do you want now?!" she exclaimed angrily, turning to him, ready to either kick or slap him.

He grabbed her hands before pulling on her with a firm tug. Stella felt her face press into his chest as he held her against him in silence. "Let me go!" she squirmed weakly before her body started to shake when a heartbroken sob radiated from her. "Let me go," she cried. "You don't want me to stay, you won't let me leave, so what am I supposed to—"

Her eyes suddenly shot up in surprise when he crushed her around himself without warning before overwhelming his lips against hers.

She gasped in disbelief. _What the—_

Her body flew into a hysterical frenzy, but he didn't care. Every human has a saturation point and he has reached the moment she started to cry from anguish. She felt frail and vulnerable in his arms. He kissed her with fervor, supporting her body with his. Gathering a hold of her numbed senses, she kissed him back with what's left of her energy, tears slithering down her face. Her body soon relaxed as she kissed him back just as longingly. His zealous arms hugged her, pressing her tightly against his warm chest, chiseled to absolute perfection. She ran her hands over his body, feeling each crevasse, each line along his too-perfect build. "Stella," he whispered slowly against her lips, stretching each letter as if to relish her presence.

Stella felt her insides quiver and tremble as her heart involuntarily fluttered at his voice. She never loved her name more than now. She opened her eyes shakily to meet his awaiting ones. "..." she dumbly stared at him. Why did he just...?

"...Don't say that. Don't say that you'll love any other man," he whispered, his voice pleading. "I can't…I can't give you to anyone else," he said, touching her forehead with his own. "I don't love you enough to give you to anyone else, Stell," he said as a few tears dropped from his eyes. He gazed at her as he recalled what she wanted. She wanted him to ask. She wanted him to apologize and then ask to take him back. "I'm sorry, love. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry that I've been so hateful towards you. I'm sorry that I made you cry. I'm sorry I left you. I was wrong. I was so wrong in what I did to you and to us," he stated sincerely with pain in his voice as she listened quietly, almost as if she's in a trance. "Please give me another chance, Stella. Please. I promise to be the man that you deserve."

Touching her forehead with his own, he glanced deep into her umber depths. He realized that she's not something he can just give up on. He can't. It makes _no_ sense for him to live without her. He can't give up and allow for himself to be replaced by someone else in her heart. He just _cannot._

With their lips just a few breaths away, they glanced into each other's eyes with the same passion they always shared towards one another.

He pulled back from her just a couple of inches to tenderly kiss her forehead. He really had to admire her persistence. He wasn't expecting to see her here, but now that she did, his heart didn't allow for him to push her away again. She started to cry, holding onto his shirt for support. She was tired. _So tired..._ He hugged her back tightly, his warm touch consoling her more than she'll ever be able to explain. She cried in his arms for some time before calming down and falling still, occasionally sniffling.

She didn't even realize she's been standing still like a stone-cold statue until his lips stroked her skin. She broke out of her torpor as she looked up at him. "…I want just one thing from you," she said finally with a few sniffles. A little hiccup escaped her lips from crying so much.

He nodded instantly. His arm remained snaked around her waist while he used his other hand to free her face of those out-of-place tears. "Anything," he coaxed, urging her to go on.

"…Come back home. I don't care what problems we have. Can't we just work them out?" she asked. "Together?" she sniffled. She missed him. She missed those little moments — the cute, playful nudges, forehead kisses, inside jokes, silly natters, etc. She missed the lightheartedness and the carefree and go-lucky attitudes. She missed their laughter and mischief. She missed the intimacy they shared. She missed _everything._

He missed that too. The terror he felt since yesterday when he realized that he may not see her anymore…no one, _no one_ should _ever_ go through that…that _torment._ Without skipping a beat, he agreed to what she asked for. "...Together," he whispered with a nod.

Her heart nearly burst open in joy when the hope she held on to all this time threatened to turn into a reality. Is he really considering…coming back? That would be her life's biggest blessing. She drew a small smile on her dry, chapped lips. And suddenly, her world no longer felt lifeless or void. It revived with life once more. Black and white didn't exist as colors meshed together once again. The darkness that shrouded over them the past week no longer seemed want to stay forever. Their relationship, no longer broken by the screaming silence of sorrow, floated above the weight of deceit, lies, and anger. It's really true what they say. There really is a light at the end of _every_ tunnel. Every tunnel has to end _somewhere._

" _Déjà vu,"_ he whispered absentmindedly, his lips brushing over hers.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing," he shook his head. "It's just…the last time we fought, we made up in five minutes. This was no different," he said, a soft smile, one of the first ones in days, tugging faintly at his lips.

She drew a small smile, sharing his humor. "I hope the only ones we make up from now on consist of you trying to weasel your way out whenever you cheat in Monopoly," she quipped pointedly, her words alleviating some of the stress and strain in the air. But in all seriousness, she wasn't too keen on looking forward to making up a third time. Twice was hard enough. Third time _isn't_ the charm this time.

He stared at her for a moment before he chuckled in response. "Stell, I don't cheat," he denied with a soft, playful smile.

"I never win even by accident," she accused, making him laugh again.

"You just need to step up your game," he chuckled. "I do tend to be good at what I play," he boasted proudly before chuckling afterwards.

Stella scoffed and rolled her eyes at his blatant displays of self-worship. "Oh, hush," she dismissed his self-worship before leaning to kiss him. He smiled before closing his eyes as his lips sizzled against hers.

* * *

 _ **An hour or two later…**_

 **~ 7:30 PM ~**

Stella had long kicked off her shoes and made herself comfortable on the bed while he was occupied in the bathroom. She quietly sat with her knees folded to her chest and occasionally glanced back and forth, impatiently waiting for him to come out.

Meanwhile, Brandon remained locked in the bathroom. He stood in front of the wide, illuminated mirrors, his hands tightly gripping the countertop. He keenly took a long look at himself. Throughout the years, generations have whispered that mirrors show you who you really are. Taking a deep breath, he stared ahead and kept himself fixated on his reflection. His eyes appeared so vulnerable, but very much alive as storms of emotions swum past. His past and his present flashed before his eyes as tears touched his deep brown eyes. All these years, he's been waging a rebellion in his heart, repelling the truth and hating the world when in truth, it's _his_ incompetence to heal that's at fault.

But finally, after five years, he was done. He was done fighting the unknown and attacking nonexistent targets. His brown eyes lightened in anticipation before they glistened in the luminous light.

 _He didn't want justice, revenge, or honor._

A slow, clear tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a cool, moistened trail behind. He took a deep breath before stepping back from the counter.

 _He finally realized what it is that he craved all this time._

Taking another deep breath, his hand curled around the doorknob as he slowly twisted it open.

 _And today, he got it._

Stepping out of the bathroom, the faintest of smiles left his face as he moved to write the newest chapter of his life while successfully closing and locking away the old ones.

 _Closure._

* * *

Brandon sat on the bed slowly, unable to keep his eyes off the drowsy blonde. He realized that she must've been just as fatigued as he was. He wondered what she had been up to since yesterday.

"What in the world were you doing in there?" she mumbled. He had been super quiet in the bathroom. _Too quiet, in fact._

He lay along next to her and turned towards her before propping up his head using his elbow for support. "Thinking," he simply replied.

"About what?" she asked, tugging on his shirt sleepily.

He shook his head, telling her silently to not worry about it. "Hungry?" he asked, absentmindedly ghosting over her cheek with his knuckles.

She yawned and shook her head. "No, not really. Are you? When's the last time you ate?"

"Probably the same time as you," he replied quietly.

She let out a soft sigh before moving closer to him. "Will we go home tomorrow?"

"Will we?" he hummed before suddenly sitting up, remembering something.

"Hey, I asked you first. That's not fair," she said.

He lifted his eyes to meet hers. She felt a faint blush adorn her cheeks when she saw a small smirk tug at his lips. "We don't live in a fair world, Sunshine," he said before redirecting his attention to her feet. He found the foot she injured a few days ago before gently placing it on his lap.

"What are you doing?" she curiously asked, sitting up.

Brandon gently clasped her foot before peering at her injury. The wound was still a deep reddish-purple in color. "Why don't you have anything on to cover this?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the wound. It was nowhere near gone.

Stella raised an eyebrow. _Like she even had her foot in mind!_ "That wasn't my top priority."

"It is now," he retorted, peering at it closely. "You didn't bring anything with you, did you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. He sighed when she shook her head. "Be careful, okay?" he softly said before pulling her closer.

"I'm fine. Seriously. You shouldn't have left if you were so worried," she said with a chiding voice, punching his shoulder.

She's right.

He shouldn't have.

He made a mental note to do something about that foot tomorrow.

They sat in silence, savoring each other's embrace before finally falling asleep together.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning – 7:45 AM ~**

Brandon took his time as he shaved the facial hair that grew unceremoniously rapidly in the last few days. He applied aftershave after he was finished and splashed his face with lukewarm water. He soon climbed to the shower and turned the metallic dial to the left, releasing millions of hot drops with the perfect pressure. His hair darkened into a rich coffee brown as water slapped and bounced off his chest while a few slick trails trickled down his back. Steam soon filled the room as he showered, his mind reliving this past week.

After nearly thirty minutes, he stepped out leisurely before wrapping a towel around his waist. He used another smaller one to dampen his hair before throwing it aside. Stepping outside the bathroom, he walked back into the bedroom and suppressed a small, fond smile when he still saw Stella sleeping. _Typical,_ he smiled faintly to himself before going over to his suitcase. He always had a spare suitcase in his trunk considering how often he traveled.

He frowned when he saw there were no more casual wear but only formal ones. Shrugging, he took out an ivory-white, full-sleeved dress shirt and a set of black formal pants before closing the suitcase. He soon got dressed and felt a little too ridiculous at having to get so incredibly dressed for a relaxing day.

He sat on the bed and watched her sleep peacefully. He chuckled to himself when he saw how much she has moved in the last one hour. Fondly placing a loving kiss on her forehead, he sat up, deciding to go get some breakfast for both of them.

* * *

 **~ 8:15 AM ~**

Stella sleepily stirred in the bed before her hands roamed around for another body. Her eyes opened drowsily when she felt only herself on the mattress. She yawned and sat up cluelessly, wondering where Brandon went. "Brandon?" she called out.

…

Silence greeted her. Instantly, she felt a pang of panic. _What if he abruptly bolted out of here without a notice?_ She hopped off the bed, looking around a little anxiously. She checked the bathroom. The door was open and there was no one in there. She returned back to the bed and blinked in confusion before her eyes fell on a paper with the hotel's logo on top, sitting innocently on the nightstand. Picking it up, she read it.

 _Hope I get back before you read this. Be back soon. Love you._

She let out a breath of relief. _Well, that's one way to wake me up._ She hopped off to the bathroom before cleaning herself up, along with a little bit of grooming. Ugh. Bed hair is seriously the worst.

Twenty minutes later, Stella lay on the bed with her back to the ceiling. Chilling on her phone and casually surfing the net, she waited for him to come back from wherever the hell's he's gone to. Honestly, there aren't many destinations packed around a highway.

A joyous smile left her lips when she heard the door handle turn. She turned just as he entered with bags in his hands.

Her jaw fell open as she stared at him. He looked like the cousin of a train wreck yesterday, but today…clean-shaven, showered, and _hot!_ His chocolate-brown eyes were soothing and gentle, but also twinkled with vibrancy."Brandon!" she squealed before hopping off the bed and running straight into his unsuspecting arms. He looked up just in time for her to crash into him. He let out an amused laugh as she flung herself around him, pushing him back to the wall. Holding out his arms to protect the food from being accidentally attacked, he shook his head in amusement. Oblivious, she buried her face deep into his chest, happily smiling. Brandon lowered himself slightly to set the bags on the floor. He hugged her back, nuzzling his head into the crook of her neck. "Good morning, Sunshine," he whispered.

She pulled back, her eyes glowing with excitement and anticipation. "Does this mean what I think it means?" she asked jumpily. Sue her, she's happy! Her eyes squealed with happiness. He smiled at her, offering nothing more as a response. "I legit thought you packed up and left until I saw the note," she said, letting out a small sigh of relief.

His eyes dimmed for a moment. "I'm never leaving you again," he smiled faintly before kissing her affectionately. "Besides, didn't you see the suitcase?" he said, cocking his head behind her, pointing to a large, black travel stroller in the corner.

She shook her head sheepishly. "So…when can we leave?!" she asked, her eyes wide.

He nodded. "I brought breakfast. Eat and then shower and get dressed."

She punched his shoulder. "Why couldn't you have stayed in a local hotel? Now, we have to drive hundred miles separately."

He merely kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Stel," he whispered. She wrapped her arms around his torso silently, knowing he wasn't apologizing for the drive, but rather for the entire situation itself.

* * *

The couple ate while quietly talking amongst themselves.

"Are you seriously going to work today?" Stella asked irately, observing his formal attire.

He chuckled before shaking his head. "I ran out of casuals."

"Oh," her eyes flashed with understanding. "At least you have something to wear," she said in a sour tone, leaving him to chuckle. She's been wearing the same sweaty threads since yesterday.

* * *

"Be careful," Brandon said, giving Stella a short, but firm hug.

"It's only a two-hour drive," she rolled her eyes. Really. He worries too much sometimes.

"Doesn't matter. I'll always worry about you," he said.

 _Oh, wait._

He nearly forgot. "But first, come here," he said gently before pushing her down on the bed. She dumbly sat as his fingers fisted around something soft in his pocket. He pulled it out and Stella saw that it was a white adhesive bandage. He opened the packaging before holding the roll in his hands.

"Does it hurt?" he asked with a frown. "Be honest with me."

"Nothing I can't handle," she replied.

He shook his head before holding her foot. Stretching the bandage from her ankle to the front of her foot, he firmly wrapped it around her, only relaxing slightly when the ugly purplish wound disappeared out of his sight and behind the white fabric. He tied it firmly but gently around her before patting her foot.

She followed suit as he stood up. He told her to get going first and he'll catch up in a few minutes after checking out of the hotel.

* * *

 _ **Nearly two hours later…**_

The two drove back separately and reached home within minutes of each other.

Getting out of the car, Brandon frowned as he looked at the house. What once felt like home now just reminded him of unpleasant memories. Stella parked the car before grabbing her things. She was in a desperate need of shower and a change of clothes. _Pronto._ She got out before going up the porch when she realized Brandon wasn't following her in and instead, he was just standing there. "Aren't you coming in?" she asked.

His eyes darted to her before his feet moved. He stood behind her as she unlocked the front door. Following her inside, he lightly closed the door without completely shutting it. He grabbed her wrist before tugging her to him. Without warning, he kissed her with nothing but love. She fell into a daze and moaned in surprise. The way he kissed her…it wasn't mechanical or derived from lust. It signified a beginning, a promise of much more to come.

He drew back eventually and spent his time studying her face, etching her widened coral-brown eyes, flushed cheeks, and slightly parted, trembling lips forever into his mind. His warm gaze turned adoring, his eyes softening with a profound tenderness.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing her again briefly, crushing her to himself, his hold gentle, yet firm.

"I love you too," she replied almost numbly, still reeling from the intensity of his scrutiny earlier. She felt too lightheaded to stand up straight.

He wordlessly hugged her tightly. He'll spend the rest of his life making up for this. He rubbed her back before taking a deep breath and drawing back slowly, holding her at arm's length. "I'll see you later, okay?" he said before taking the keys to his mother's car from her.

"Where are you going?" she asked in confusion as he placed the keys to his car in her hands. A second later, she blinked in understanding. "Oh."

He checked the time on his watch. It was a little past noon. "I'll be home soon," he said, cupping her face and kissing her cheek.

She nodded before watching him leave. She felt a sense of déjà vu hit her as she realized that she was standing in the exact position a couple days ago when he left. And two days later, she's smiling from ear to ear, being able to contain her excitement to see him again. The smile he threw at her before he left made her feel like the luckiest girl on earth.

In a strange way, she was glad they fought this time. Sometimes, you need to break things down before you can build them up back again.

With a smile to herself, Stella closed the door before deciding to get a shower and a proper change of clothes.

 _We'll be okay._ _Eventually,_ she thought as her small, but genuine smile refused to leave her for a long time.

* * *

 **~ Lucas' and Heather's House - 12:55 PM ~**

Brandon pulled up at his parents' place and as expected, he didn't see any signs of his father. He sighed before parking the car and getting out. He hopped up the porch before ringing the doorbell. He tensely juggled the keys in his fingers, hoping at least this encounter will go well.

The door soon opened to reveal none other than Heather, of course. Her eyes shot up to the roof as she gasped. "Oh my god," she covered her mouth in shock before pulling him into a tight hug. "I never meant for you to leave, sweetheart," she apologized profusely, feeling terrible and guilty.

"I know," he replied in a soft, melancholic tone. "I'm sorry I didn't lift your calls."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Heather said, feeling absolutely awful. She felt tears touch her eyes. "Is Stella here too?" she asked, peering over his shoulder.

He shook his head.

"She must've had some real dirt on you if she could change your stubborn mind," Heather scowled, reprimanding him. Brandon felt a faint smile on his lips. He honestly missed his mother's scolding. "Come in," she sighed as she dragged him inside before shutting the door.

The two settled in the kitchen with Brandon leaning against a countertop while Heather walked back and forth to make some good ol' coffee. She turned to him for a second before sighing. "I was really hoping to be mad at you for a little longer, but your little guilt trip kind of ruined it for me."

He let out a small chuckle, but it was laced more with a soft sadness than humor.

"Where the hell were you anyway?" Heather asked with a sigh.

He shrugged. It doesn't matter anymore.

"How are things between you and her?" Heather asked quietly, switching the coffee maker on.

Brandon crossed his arms loosely. "She really has a way of persuasion," he admitted. His arms physically ached when he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to hold her close to himself but was unable to satiate the desire.

"What did she say?"

"That I'm not proving shit by running away," he answered plainly, now realizing what a dumb, _will-be-unproductive-in-the-near-future_ move that was.

"You sure are not," Heather pointed out, tapping her fingers on the countertop, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. In a few minutes, she handed him a steaming cup of coffee, which he held in his hands.

They went back to the living room before seating themselves adjacent to each other.

Brandon decided to shift the topic. He didn't come here to talk about himself. He came for her. "How are you really doing, Mom?" he asked.

"Probably the same as you," Heather said impassively.

"How are you like this? So calm and so…focused?" he asked, baffled. He's been a complete train wreck for days and he never cries openly.

"What do you want me to do?" Heather asked with a somewhat hostile edge to her tone. "Curl up in a ball and cry all day? I can't. I can't do that."

"Mom…it _is_ okay to be upset…"

"Do you want me to disappear like you did? Run away? Instead of acknowledging your mistake and trying to fix, you ran. You thought things will eventually get better. They don't. Not unless you play a part in mending them," Heather scolded.

"…Yeah," he nodded, ashamed. "That's what she said," he said to himself.

"Well, she's right," Heather concurred with her daughter-in-law.

Seeing him already so dejected and humiliated of himself, Heather's steely tone softened. Guess there wasn't a point in crying over spilt milk anymore. What's done is done. No one can change that. The best thing to do is just move forward. Heather placed a comforting hand on his knee. "You're one of the best things that has happened to me. When you become a father someday, you'll understand how much I love you," Heather spoke. "And that's why it makes the betrayal all the more painful."

"I'm really sorry," he said sadly while tears of guilt swam in his eyes. "If given the chance, I'll do anything to take it all back."

"I know," Heather nodded, believing him.

The brunet took a deep breath. "I'm not letting you go, Mom. I'll take any punishment you see fit. I'll do anything but… please don't ask me to let you go," he pleaded, his eyes earnest for her forgiveness.

Heather thought for a moment. He reminded her so much of his father. A couple days ago, Lucas was standing there with the same distinguishing brown eyes, begging for her forgiveness. Lucas hadn't asked for a second chance. He wanted forgiveness. Heather took a deep breath. "There is one thing you can do for me," she said without much debate. Brandon didn't do anything wrong. Not by much anyway. In the perdition he's lived through, she couldn't break his heart anymore.

"Anything," he nodded, leaning forward in anticipation.

"I want you to promise me that you'll always tell me the truth. Always. No matter how much it hurts and no matter how painful it is," Heather asked. Finding out the truth by accident is a far worse consequence than knowing it the moment it happens.

Brandon nodded sincerely and with determination. "I promise," he said, meaning it. "I'll never lie to you again."

Heather smiled slightly.

For the next few minutes, they both started to drink the coffee in silence. He set the cup down, which got her attention.

"Did you talk to dad…?" Brandon asked carefully, leaning forward.

Heather sighed sadly before nodding dismally. "I did," she said gloomily.

Brandon wondered how his mom could be so composed. If Stella did something like this to him, he would be devastated. There's no way he'll be able to live without tears in his eyes. He loved her too much. He'll be rendered soulless.

" _And that's why it makes the betrayal all the more painful."_

Wise words. Really. Wise words.

"…Are you guys gonna be okay?" Brandon asked woefully. Obviously, it would break his heart if these two really were gonna go down the expected route: _divorce._

Heather took a deep breath. She thought a lot about this since the last time she spoke to Lucas. She cried so much already, and she was trying her best to not break down again. It was hard to come to senses and make a reasonable decision. It wasn't easy, but… for her own sanity and for her family's welfare, she had to. She reached over before holding his hand between her two hands. "Let me ask you this. Do _you_ forgive your father?" she asked gently.

Brandon's eyes widened. "W-What?" he asked, wondering why she was asking this.

"Do you forgive your father?" Heather repeated solemnly. As caustic as it may sound, she wanted her son to forgive his father. He trapped himself in an adverse cocoon for far too long. And she wanted him to start again afresh with the things he _wanted_ to do instead of things that compelled him to do. She wanted him to live life the way he wanted to, dictated by no one.

Brandon let out a small sigh. He wanted to forget. He wanted to love instead of being angry all the time. He wanted to be a better son, a protective brother, and a loving husband. He can't do that, _any_ of that, if there's always something pulling him back. "…I do," he softly said.

"Then we're gonna be okay," Heather nodded at him, giving him a gentle smile. A sad one, but nonetheless a smile.

Brandon could only watch his mother in awe. Even after everything that has happened, she had forgiveness in her heart. He wondered where her strength came from when one glance from her told him that it came from her children.

* * *

Despite stating that he'll be back soon, Brandon didn't come home. It's been nearly two hours, so Stella just decided to take his car and drive up to his parents' place.

"Home, sweet home!" she announced her presence as she entered the house like she owned the place. She wondered where Heather and Brandon were. She didn't think they'd still be intensely talking even now, but who knows? Following the sounds in the kitchen, Stella watched Heather attend to cooking lunch. "Hello!" the blonde grinned, knocking on the wall to get some attention.

Heather turned around with a smile. "Stella! Your timing couldn't be perfect," she laughed. "I'm just making lunch, so it'll be ready in thirty minutes or so. And Brandon's around here somewhere."

Stella nodded before leaving to find him for a hot sec. Before she could leave, Heather grasped her wrist.

"Thank you," Heather said softly in gratitude before hugging the blonde.

Stella hugged back. "I didn't do anything you wouldn't."

Separating, Heather patted her shoulder before Stella nodded and went off to find Brandon. She figured that if he's still here, things must be okay now. She let out a sigh of content. See? There really are lights at the end of every dark, brooding tunnel.

It didn't take her long to find him. He was sitting outside in the garden on a bench swing. He was staring off into the distance, thinking deeply about something. Stella approached him cautiously, not wanting to startle him.

"You okay?" Stella suddenly asked in concern from behind, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.

He turned around in a flash, obviously surprised to her here. In a moment, he relaxed again. "…No but I'm gonna be," he wistfully answered. Stella placed her head on his shoulder before wrapping her arms around his neck from behind. She kissed his cheek and silently offered him comfort. For once, Brandon allowed himself to be vulnerable. He didn't feel any need to bottle up anything more. He didn't want to appear strong in front of Stella all the time like a robot. He realized he was allowed to be hurt and accept the solace and consolation she offered willingly.

He placed a hand over her arm before turning sideways. "I'm sorry I forgot to call you," he said.

"It's okay," she said with a small shrug. "Everything between you two?"

"They will be." He tugged on her arm gently, silently telling her to sit beside him. Stella traveled around the bench before plopping herself next to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I should help Heather in the kitchen," Stella suggested, playing with his fingers before intertwining them with hers.

"Stay with me for a few minutes," he said, tugging her closer. "I'll join you," he smiled, brushing his lips against her temple.

Stella smiled as he leaned his head against hers. She watched a gentle smile bloom on his lips, and she couldn't help her widening grin.

Unbeknownst to either of the two, Heather watched them through the curtains. She smiled sadly, happy to see that they're back together again. The way Brandon looked Stella…was the exact way Lucas once looked at her. She never imagined in a million years that he'd cheat on her. Closing the curtains gently, Heather sniffled.

Brandon had asked her earlier. _"How are you like this? So calm and so…focused?"_

 _I'm not. I just pretend I'm fine,_ she answered to herself as she wiped the tears that trailed down her face. She didn't want them to catch her crying. Things were going well for them and she'd be the most selfish mother to ruin their new beginning. The revelation that still hurt is that…she wasn't mad at Lucas. Not anymore. She still loved him. But…she didn't know how to move past this. As a mother, she'll eventually be fine. But as a wife, she's shattered. She was left with a shattered heart and she didn't know if she could glue those pieces back together.

Out of her anger in the beginning, she was ready to give him a divorce. But…she didn't know if she could do that anymore. And the worst part is that a huge part of her that _still_ trusted him. She believed him when he said his infidelity had been only once. But does it matter? No. Once or twice, it doesn't hurt any less.

Only she knew how painful it had been to live by herself in this house while he lived in god-knows-where. Is it pathetic and desperate to still want her husband by her side? A tear rolled down her cheek as anguish bled through every bone of her body.

 _She didn't know._

* * *

 _ **A day or two later…**_

Stella's end of Spring Break was rapidly approaching, which means it's time for her to run back. She had to admit one thing. This week had certainly been eventful. Too eventful that she nearly forgot she attended a wedding. _Golly._ But it's true that time heals. Bruises do eventually heal and fade away, diminishing as nothing more than depraved reminiscences.

Parking the car, the young couple casually took a stroll through one of the New York's finest urban exquisites — The Central Park — on Saturday evening. It's probably one of the worst places to be in if you wanted a quiet stroll, but they didn't care. They rarely go out on dates, spending most of their time indoors instead.

They watched children play tag, parents seated on classic checkered towels, setting out picnic baskets and taking fond pictures of their adorable little ones. Other couples in love sat under the trees, happily enjoying the beautiful day.

Stella looped her arm through Brandon's as he folded his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "Kids are unpredictable, aren't they?" the blonde smiled, watching a young, red-haired boy chase a butterfly.

He remained quiet, following her gaze onto the child. "They're not the only ones who are unpredictable," he said after a moment before continuing walking.

She turned to him. "Hmm?"

"I'm talking about you," he smiled.

"I'm unpredictable?" she snickered.

"You were when you followed me to the hotel," he said.

"Why wouldn't I come to you? I can't obviously let you go on your guilt trip alone," she grinned.

"I'm sorry, Stell," he said tenderly as he gazed at her with regret. "And I swear…I'll spend the rest of my life making this up to you," he said, ceasing to walk to talk to her.

Her eyes widened at the length of his words. "…You should apologize more often. You are _really_ sensational at it," the blonde grinned. "If two nights of sleeping out of the house can make you like this, trust me, you should stay out more often," the blonde joked before giving him a quick hug. Brandon laughed into her hair before hugging her back.

"I still meant what I said," he said with a smile.

She thought for a moment as she tapped her chin in thought. "You'll do anything to make it up to me?" she asked. _"Anything?"_

He arched a suspicious brow after seeing her little evil grin. "…Yeah."

Stella snickered before pulling out her phone. "In that case…" she drawled before typing something into the browser. "You have to watch this with me," she grinned before showing him the screen.

His eyes shot up to the roof. He blinked in horror as he glanced back and forth between her and the phone. She stifled a laugh at his expression before erupting into a fit of giggles.

 _The Notebook._

"So? Do we have a deal?" she smirked.

Brandon's horrific face soon turned into a stern glare. He looked absolutely astonished as he stared at her with inappreciation. "Sunshine…I thought you loved me," he said sadly, his shoulders slumping with barely any enthusiasm. He slapped his forehead for his own stupidity. He should've known she wouldn't just let him off that easy. "After this, it'll be you going on a guilt trip," he grumbled under his breath, leaving her to burst out laughing again.

Her eyes shone with mischief. "Welcome home, Brand," she said before wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his chest. At her words, his discontent shifted into warmth as he hugged her back.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 8:30 PM ~**

Brandon closed the last of Stella's gazillion suitcases before pushing them all to the side. "Why you need so many clothes, I'll never understand," he shook his head. "We'll return in like a month anyway."

"Month and a half," the blonde corrected with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Same shit," he rolled his eyes. They were due to leave sometime tomorrow morning. He made her pack everything in advance, knowing what a dramatic slowpoke she was and especially at the last minute.

Stella giggled before hopping off the bed. "Let's go downstairs!" she excitedly tugged on his arm to make do on that promise from earlier.

Seeing the overly happy grin on her face, he immediately withdrew. "Why? I'm more than happy here," he shook his head, realizing her wicked intentions before shrugging her off.

She jumped in his arms, her feet barely staying on the floor with excitement. "But you promised!" she whined, tugging on his sleeve.

"Which you made me forfeit after practically making _me_ pack these suitcases," he defended himself. "I'm done."

She rolled his eyes. "Please. All you did was zip the damn things."

"Whatever," he mumbled.

"No. C'mon," she demanded before grabbing his arm and dragging him downstairs. "Let's go."

Brandon sighed. "This is absolutely ridiculous," he grumbled as she practically tossed him on the sofa before switching on the TV.

"I agree," she concurred.

"You do?!" his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree with a newfound hope. Maybe she did have compassion for fellow humans after all.

"Yeah," she nodded before grabbing the remote and plopping down beside him. "The fact that it took me two years to make you watch this _is_ ridiculous," she smirked before letting out a giggle.

He huffed in response. His titanic ego was obviously wounded after the way she squished his hope so mercilessly. She didn't pay attention to his aggravated bumbling before browsing through Netflix. She typed in the name and her eyes lit up at the familiar poster that popped up. A flick such as _The Notebook_ is never out of viewers.

His face turned into one of pure irritation as she hit play.

Stella suppressed a giggle. _This should be reeaaally fun._ He spread his arms across the couch just as the movie started to play. The titles and background music started to play. Hearing the start of sad, romantic music _(already?!)_ in the background, his scowl only deepened. "..." he glared at the movie before staring back at her. "I know I said I have a lot to make up for, but now you're just taking it too far," he complained. This isn't love. "This is revenge."

She giggled. "Who knows? Maybe the movie will unleash some of your inner...fiestas." Hey, some movies do bring out hidden personalities.

"Well, someone's needy," he smirked suggestively, tossing her a wink. "If that's what you wanted…you could've just asked. This is movie is completely unnecessary, Stella—" he ranted, turning to her, trying to escape before she stopped him.

"Nice try," she smirked. "Watch," she ordered, turning his face towards the TV.

"Sunshine, I'm really not into watching idiots kiss on screen," he complained, squirming in his seat.

She tried her best not to take offense to him dismissing the beautiful and gorgeous cast as idiots. "Are you going to be grumpy all two hours?" she sighed.

"Yes," he said without empathy. Seeing her throw an exasperated, narrowed glare at him, he coughed nervously. "Okay, okay. I'll watch it," he mumbled. "But only because I love you so damn much."

She grinned before kissing his cheek. "Aww, I love you too!"

"Whose bright idea was it to film this?" he blurted out again minutes into the movie, scrunching his face into a frown, not even bothering to hide his repugnance.

She gusted out laughing. "C'mon, it can't be that bad!" she snickered, turning to him. "You know, with the time you spend complaining and me pausing, we would've been halfway through it."

"Oh, believe me, I'd rather this than that," he grumbled, turning away stubbornly. "I mean, that has _got_ to be the most pathetic one-liner I've ever heard in my life," he scoffed, leaving her to laugh again. "Who says that?"

 _"If you're a bird, I'm a bird."_

"You know I'll never use that on you, right?" he asked desperately, arguing for his own dignity.

She laughed again. "No. You won't," she admitted truthfully.

* * *

 _ **Two hours later…**_

Throughout the two hours, Stella laughed at his various assessments of the film. All she knew was she'll never be able to watch this film again without laughing out loud.

As the credits started to roll, she turned to him and was surprised to see a strange mist in his eyes. She gasped in shock. "Oh my god," she screeched in delight. "Awwww, you're crying!" she squealed, tugging and pulling on his shirt.

Cursing under his breath, he let his lips form a straight line. "No, I'm not," he snapped, glaring at how she even _dared_ to suggest that. He huffed and crossed his arms.

"Yes, you are," she sang, snickering.

"No, I'm not," he denied.

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"YES. YOU ARE."

"NO. I'M NOT."

"YES, YOU ARE!"

"NO, I'M NOT!"

They continued to bicker immaturely before Brandon decided to change the topic away from him. There _might've_ been a little… _a little_ tear lingering here and there. But it was a sad and emotional ending. What did she expect?

"Anyways, don't I get some kind of reward for putting up with this horror show?" he asked.

She giggled at his attempt to divert the topic before rolling her eyes at his question. "Why would you? I thought you were doing this for me," she said, arching a brow. "And what reward?" she asked out of curiosity anyway.

Smirking, he moved his arm down to her shoulders before shifting his body closer to hers. She felt her heart pick up its pace when his lips touched her ear teasingly. "C'mon, Stell…that's no secret," he grinned before she felt him smirking against her ear.

She bit back a blush at the suggestive wink he gave her. _Jerk._ "W-Well…!" she stuttered like a fool.

He laughed at her flustered state before using it to his advantage to snatch the remote from her. "Okay then, my turn!" he announced.

Stella shook her head to snap out of her moment. "What are you doing?" she curiously asked as he flipped through the movies in Netflix. She gasped in horror when he settled on the movie _Scream._ Way to flip the tables on her! _Scream_ is one of the most horrifying movies ever to be released in her opinion, if not the only!

She turned to him and saw him stifling a laugh at her mortified face. "This is cruel," she whined before standing up, attempting to make a dash for it.

He rolled his eyes at her overreaction before grabbing her wrist and flinging her back against him. "I'm just curious to know if revenge is as sweet as they say," he chuckled before wiggling his eyebrows evilly. "What do you think?"

"If I die of a heart attack, I swear my spirit's going to haunt you for the rest of your life," she threatened with a displeased glare. Why can't this guy just be occasionally normal and enjoy a lighthearted comedy? "Then I'll show you just sweet revenge really is," she grumbled.

He laughed before pressing play. He cut the lights to bring out the theater effect, much to her added annoyance. "Admit it, you love horror flicks as much as I do," he snickered.

"I don't," she scowled.

He simply hummed in response. She proved his point later on when she, despite being terrified of jump scares and whatnot, covered her face with her hands but remained entranced as she watched the film from the cracks between her fingers. He chuckled before kissing her hair before turning his eyes towards the screen as they spent the night watching movies.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning – 8:40 AM ~**

Stella's eyes opened only to be greeted by the morning rays of sunlight. She twitched in discomfort and tried to move when she realized she couldn't. She looked over her shoulder to see that Brandon was still asleep. Her back was molted to his chest while his arms practically remained pretzeled around her. He was still snoozing, a little surprising to see, considering what an early riser he usually was.

Weaseling her way out of his arms, she crawled away without waking him up. She got up to go get dressed for the day.

One hour later, Stella found herself getting dressed in white shorts and a navy off-shoulder blouse. After blow-drying her hair, she applied a coat of natural makeup before plugging in the curler. She took her time throwing in beach curls before going into thinking mode. This week had certainly been eventful. _Too eventful,_ Stella thought dryly. She never wanted anything to go this haywire ever again. After they go back to New Jersey today, she hoped that things will eventually settle down and go back to normalcy. Yes, she wanted to fight with Brandon but never like this. Those adorable couple fights she always sees on soap opera commercials, _that's_ what she wanted. Not _I'll-run-away-and-I'll-never-see-your-face-again_ type of fights.

Satisfied with her hair, she turned off the curler before tossing her hair over her shoulders. She went back to the bedroom, where she still saw Brandon sleeping. It's nearly ten in the morning and seeing him still asleep is a real wonder indeed.

She skipped over to him before climbing onto the bed on her knees. "Psst," she poked him in the shoulder. He didn't stir. "Brandon, wake up," she tried to shake him awake. "C'mon, wake up!" she shook him harder.

He groaned before humming in response. She stared at him in impatience as he remained silent. She gasped when his arm suddenly lashed around her waist, leaving her to squeal as she fell on top of him. He grabbed her burying his face into the crook of her neck. "Why're you up so damn early?" he grumbled in annoyance. He inhaled her fresh scent of lavenders and hugged her tighter.

"Well, there goes my hairdo," she mumbled, displeased.

He chuckled in his sleep before letting his fingers feel around her bouncy new curls. He groaned when she shifted in his arms to make herself more comfortable. "If this is your way of seduction…" he yawned. "It sure as hell is working," he yawned again.

She shook her head. Are this man's thoughts ever going to be at least halfway decent? She blushed, realizing that ever since they got back, they never really…got carried away. Maybe it's because they wanted to take things slow? Hmm. "It's ten o'clock…" she mumbled. "I want some food," she asked, peeking up at him. She stared at him seriously.

"I don't," he yawned, sleepily mumbling while tightening his grip on her, his eyes still remaining closed. His voice reflected the same amount of seriousness. "I want you," he whined. But not the same amount of maturity.

"No, come on," she said, getting up from him. "Either you get up and come down or you're starving for today," she said, removing herself from his arms. "I'm hungry," she protested. "And I thought you wanted to leave early."

He opened his eyes before rubbing them slowly. He groaned before sitting up. "Not this early," he sighed, checking the time on his phone.

"Chop-chop!" she snapped her fingers before smacking him square in the chest. "What is wrong with you? You're normally the one to drag me downstairs."

He opened his eyes before staring at her. He shook his head before standing up and dragging his feet towards the bathroom. _I was watching you sleep._ He could say that, but he didn't want to kill the lighthearted atmosphere. He fell asleep last night, asking her for forgiveness and rebuking himself for his insane blunder in the process.

* * *

Dressed in a dark emerald-green, full-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, Brandon rolled his sleeves to his elbows as he mounted down the stairs and headed straight towards the kitchen, following the aroma of hash browns and eggs. He saw Stella perched on top of the kitchen island cutely as she chatted with someone on the phone. "Hi," she grinned, waving to him as he entered.

He sleepwalked to the table, still continuing to yawn every other second. "Why? Why am I up?" he mumbled, feeling absolutely miserable. He rubbed his eyes before curiously walking up to her. "What are you doing?" he asked before walking up to her.

Stella sat cross-legged on the counter before pointing to the oven. "Waiting for hash browns," she said.

"Hmm," he murmured before kissing her cheek. "All ready to go?" he asked, wondering if there's anything else to be done before they left.

She nodded with a small smile.

He returned her smile. "Good," he said before letting her go. "I have to go make a few calls but I'll—" he stopped when he saw a widening, all-knowing grin on Stella's face. "What?" he blinked.

She laughed. "I was wondering how long it would take you to get back to business," she said, shaking her head.

He chuckled before a smirk stretched onto his lips. "I have to work to support those closets you own," he teased.

An outraged gasp left her lips before she punched his shoulder. "I don't own that many!" she scoffed.

He rolled his eyes before chuckling. "Let me know when breakfast is ready, woman," he smirked before leaving the kitchen, unlocking his phone to "get back to business."

* * *

"Tadaaaa," Stella grinned in pride before setting a plate of hot food before him. Brandon didn't even nod in acknowledgement as he narrowed his eyes in concentration at something on his laptop. Stella resisted the urge to facepalm as she sat cross-legged beside him, awaiting his attention.

Brandon resisted the smile that threatened to break onto his face. "Stella. This is me noticing you staring," he said impassively.

"I think the best gift you can give me for graduation is a hammer that I can use to break that thing in half," she said in a peeved voice before cupping her face between her hands and resting her elbows on her knees.

Unable to resist, he let out a deep, rich laugh before turning to her. She had a lovable, angry pout that pretty much told him that she wasn't really that happy with him. "Alright," he said before putting his laptop away and turning to her. "Thank you," he smiled warmly, raking his fingers through her bouncy strands.

Her pout uplifted into a happy smile before she took her plate and started to eat with him. "You know…when you said that you wanted us to start off on a fresh foot…you meant that, right?" she asked.

He held his fork midway as he looked at her, concerned. Did he do something again…? Before he could ask, she beat him to it.

"And that means no more secrets. Right?" she asked.

He nodded slowly, not quite understanding her point. He really didn't have anything else to tell her.

"I actually have something to tell you," she sighed before setting her plate aside.

He followed her action before crossing a leg over another and giving her his complete attention.

"…Chris came by the other day," Stella said, fidgeting with her fingers.

She paused for a moment, very much well aware of his dislike towards Chris. Brandon was never subtle about his pronounced hostility with Chris even though they've had very few encounters. Not to mention Brandon's rage when he saw her and Chris together. _Though the rage had initially stemmed from somewhere else…_

She shook her head and looked up at Brandon, whose eyes were impassive, giving nothing away. "Are you mad?" she blurted, tired of his silence.

"Should I be?" Brandon asked calmly.

"Um. No?"

"Then?"

"Well…" Stella started off before relaying what Chris had said to her to Brandon.

Brandon's eyes widened slightly but other than that, he didn't seem too surprised by the news. He never liked Chris, but the distaste stemmed mostly from the fact that the latter was the son of Blake Williams, the entrepreneur who tried to sell defective products on many occasions. Not that just, but there were plenty of other occasions that just worked together to breach all opportunities to establish trust.

"I thought an angry Brandon was scary but I'm starting to think a silent one is scarier," she observed with a nervous grin. "You're mad, aren't you?"

 _Breathe. Deeeeeeeep breaths. Breathe._ Brandon took a deep breath, reminding himself that he should control his anger. "That little…" he pursed his lips together to refrain from cursing. _"Weasel,"_ he finished blandly, clenching a fist. _Baby steps._ For some reason, that made Stella laugh out loud. "Just how dare he?" Brandon grumbled under his breath before turning to her. She let out a surprised squeal when he grabbed her into his lap. "I swear to god if he touches a hair on your head, I'm going to—" he started to threaten in an irked tone.

She slapped him in the chest, interrupting him with an amusing, faint smile. Try it as he might, she sometimes loved his demanding nature. "Give it a rest. He didn't do anything. Literally. It was your beautiful little ex-fiancée that did the dirty work," Stella scowled sarcastically, crossing her arms.

Brandon's eyes dimmed before he hugged her close. "I'm so sorry," he said gently, stroking her cheek affectionately back and forth with his thumb.

"Why does it have to be you? She should be the one to be sorry," Stella accused stubbornly, resting her head against his chest.

"…She used to be a good person, Sunshine. A part of her still is. She's…hurt. Just like I was," Brandon said softly.

Stella remained silent as she stared at him. She could tell that he was hesitant to say what he really wanted to say. But she knew. She knew what he wanted her to do. _He wanted her to forgive Skylar._ Stella took a deep breath. Forgiving Skylar meant she was willing to overlook the fact she nearly lost her husband. Well, she wasn't that willing. She can't be. Skylar's little capers just went too far to ignore.

Seeing her debate with herself, Brandon reached up to tuck a few curled locks behind her ear. "What is it?" he asked.

"…What do you want me to do?" Stella finally asked in defeat.

"I know you're angry at her. And you have every right to be. I was furious when I found out—"

 _I know,_ Stella smiled faintly to herself.

"&mdashbut there will always be a small part of me that will care for her, Stell," he honestly said.

"Yeah, I figured," Stella grumbled under her breath. "This is so unfair," she pouted. " _You're_ unfair," she said, poking her finger into his chest.

"Am I really?" he mused, murmuring mostly to himself.

"How can you say something like that? How can you forgive her? We've been through—"

"I know," he nodded. "Just…just hear me out. I can't forgive her yet, and I certainly don't have to forget what she did. But when I said that I'll let go of everything, I meant this too. You're important to me. I don't want to focus on anyone else."

Stella crossed her arms and turned away from him, peeved. _Damn him._

 _Of course,_ he'll sweet talk his way out to make his point. Stella sighed. Darn. She was really looking forward to having some words with that vile witch. But he was right. If they want to give their shredded relationship another chance, they'll need to make compromises — even ones they can't agree on. And if forgiving Skylar is the first step to that…then even if it takes time, she'll try.

* * *

Stella peered around the corner to see Brandon putting the clean plates away. With a deep breath, she took out her phone and opened the contact for Chris. She took a good minute to say what she wanted to while keeping the message succinct before pressing send. She put the phone into the back pocket of her shorts before eyeing the brunet in the kitchen. "Uh…those dishes aren't going to shelf themselves," she ushered as she skipped over to him to help him out.

 _Dear Chris,_

 _Hope you have a safe trip. I wish you nothing but the best. I hope you find someone who makes you happy. Take care._

 _Your friend,_

 _Stella xx_

* * *

 **~ Lucas's and Heather's House - 12:30 PM ~**

Heather cut off the vacuum cleaner before wrapping the cord around the machine. She placed it to the side and was about to go sit down and sulk some more when she heard the doorbell sing. Her mood brightened when she realized that must be Stella and Brandon. They did mention they were leaving today. She wiped her hands off on her dress before approaching the front door.

Her smile fell when she opened the door. "Lucas," Heather whispered automatically. Tears of sadness touched her eyes when he entered the home before locking the front door behind him.

"Can we talk?" Lucas asked, stepping closer to her.

Heather remained silent, too dumbfounded to speak. Why was he here? They already said whatever they wanted to say to each other.

Getting directly to the point, Lucas took a deep breath. "Heather…I want you to know that I've never stopped loving you," he confessed, tears swimming in his own eyes. "You wanted to know how I could let Brandon take the blame for what happened. You're right. It should've been me. I never wanted you to find out this way. But every time I looked at you, I could only see the trust you had in me and…no matter how many times I wanted to tell you, I couldn't," he stated. "I was afraid of losing you. I was afraid you'll hate me and leave me for good." It's not that he wanted to sweep under the rug for good. He was going to tell. He wanted to tell. But he was a coward. He couldn't ever face his own wife and tell the truth to her.

Heather finally found her voice to speak. "Then why? Why did you do that?" Was he really that tempted?

"Helena and I…" Lucas closed his eyes, beating himself. "We had a few extra drinks at a company dinner. That's not an excuse for my infidelity nor is it a justification for what I did to you," he softly said.

He's right. No matter what justification he gave her, she didn't feel any better. It hurt to even imagine that. It hurt to know that her husband had no sense of responsibility or control even after getting a little too tipsy. She drank too over the years. But she never even looked at another man, much less invite him to sleep with her. Nonetheless...she didn't deny the solace it brought her to know that it was an accident. It wasn't intentional. It wasn't an affair. It was an _accident._ Still...that accident broke her heart.

"…Were you ever going to tell me?" Heather finally asked.

Lucas took a deep breath. He had a feeling that his answer would determine what decision Heather takes regarding the future of their relationship.

* * *

 **~ 12:40 PM ~**

Brandon pulled up in front of his parents' house to bid goodbye to his mother when he suddenly stopped after seeing a familiar car in the driveway.

"Is that Lucas?" Stella voiced out loud, thinking the same as Brandon.

Brandon nodded, clutching the steering wheel a little firmly. He decided to not disturb them. Setting the parking gear to reverse, he checked his mirrors before pulling out of the driveway.

"Now what?" Stella piqued from beside him.

Brandon took a deep breath. "Now…we go home," he said, turning to the blonde and giving her a loving smile. "And…life goes back to normal." He remained quiet for moment. "…Right?" he asked, turning to her as his eyes flickered with vulnerability.

She smiled at him. "Right." She didn't say much but she could see a sigh of relief escape from his lips. She grinned before reaching over and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him on the cheek, leaving him to smile. "I love you," she beamed before slowly withdrawing.

The smile on his face remained as his hand pulled the gearshift from reverse to drive mode. Before long, the car cruised out of the city before merging into the interstate.

* * *

 **~ 12:42 PM ~**

"…Well?" Heather pressed. "Were you?" she asked.

Lucas nodded slowly. "…Yes. I was," he affirmed frankly. When he saw Skylar at the wedding, he couldn't contain himself anymore. Seeing Heather scream her throat out at Brandon was the _last_ straw for him. So, _yes,_ he was.

* * *

 _ **Three hours later…**_

The couple reached their home in New Jersey by afternoon, making only a single stop for lunch in between. Brandon cut off the engine. The car slowly hummed itself to sleep while the duo took off their seat belts. Brandon opened the trunk to get the luggage out while Stella fished around her purse for the house keys.

"Do you need any help?" she sang, skipping over to the brunet who was busy taking out the suitcases that mostly belonged to her.

Without pausing, he gave her a dry look. "You're not really offering, are you?" he rolled his eyes with a chuckle.

"Well…it would be more efficient if _you_ carry the luggage inside," she grinned, leaning into him. Biting back a dreamy swoon, she felt and traced his steel-hard muscles with her hands to prove her point.

He rolled his eyes. "It would've been even more efficient if _you_ had left half of this junk back home." He shrugged her off before picking up her suitcases. "At least open the damn door."

She giggled at his tone before skipping in front of him and opening the front door.

Stella waited as he got everything inside before finally closing the door behind him. "It's only been a week, but it feels like forever ago," she observed, dragging the suitcases into the guest bedroom.

Taking off his shoes, he rumbled in agreement before following her into the master bedroom. Stella plopped on the bed before falling back. "I'm so not ready to go back tomorrow," she whined in discontent.

He chuckled. It's typical of her to complain. "You have less than two months left."

"That's ages away," she groaned unhappily, closing her eyes and drawing her knees to her chest.

Brandon shook his head before falling beside her. He propped his head on his elbow before turning towards her.

The room was dark with curtains drawn, allowing only limited light to flow inside. Regardless, they loved the dusky dimness.

Stella quietly played with the buttons of his shirt, opening them and closing them again. He absentmindedly stroked her hair, thinking about something else entirely.

"Something on your mind?" the blonde quipped, noticing his silence.

His eyes fell on her as she looked up at him attentively. He sighed slightly before twirling a few of her curled locks around his index, her strands tickling his skin. "No…it's just…I'm a little worried, that's all," he admitted with a shrug.

"About your parents?"

He nodded. "I know my mom looks fine, but I can tell she isn't," he said.

Stella glanced at him in concern. "She'll be okay, Brand. I mean, it _is_ Heather after all," she gushed.

Brandon smiled at her. He honestly loved how amiable Stella is with his parents. He knew she shared a bond with both his parents, a stronger one with his mother. And he was grateful for that respect. "What about you? Are _you_ okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "I wish we had a good break, but…" she shrugged.

"I'm sorry," he said guiltily.

She shook her head, silently telling him to drop it. "And Flora? What about her? Will you guys tell her?"

"Well…" he sighed. "I don't know. I don't want her to be worried or take too much stress. We'll definitely tell her, but I'm not sure when that'll happen."

She nodded in understanding and didn't press further. She sat up before moving to unpack at least a suitcase or two.

Brandon absentmindedly watched her get to work. Somehow…he didn't feel better even after talking to her. A nagging feeling still clutched his heart and he didn't know why.

* * *

 **~ 7:40 PM ~**

A few hours after unpacking, Stella found herself in the kitchen, cooking dinner for them both. Brandon was in the living room, working on something. She occasionally heard him talking on the phone with someone else and he didn't sound very happy as he barked orders left and right. She heard the rampant abusing of the keyboard.

Shaking her head, she carried on with her work. She cut vegetables and stirred, cooking absentmindedly. She thought he would be in a good mood. But he wasn't. Brandon usually didn't throw temper tantrums with his colleagues at work but when he did, it pretty meant that he was ticked off by someone or something. She hoped it wasn't her. What did she do anyway?

Biting her lip, she set the knife in her hands aside and decided to just go and ask him herself. "Brandon," she called out as she skipped out of the kitchen.

But he was on the phone with someone else and instantly held up a hand towards her, motioning for her to be silent. She sighed in annoyance as she crossed her arms stubbornly before leaning against the wall.

Noticing her change in attitude, he raised an eyebrow but didn't prod further. "Yes and?!" he spoke into the phone.

Stella took out her phone before opening his name. Figuring he's nowhere near done with his stupid calls, she shot him a message before retreating back to the kitchen.

Brandon blinked when he felt his phone vibrate by his ear. He set the phone on speaker before opening the text from Stella.

 _You're loud. PIPE DOWN!_

Brandon set the phone back to his ear before following her into the kitchen. Her back was to him as she opened the cupboards to reach for salt and a few spices. She was ignoring his presence on purpose and couldn't make it any more obvious.

He covered the distance between them in three long strides before snaking an arm around her waist. "I'll call you back in a few," he spoke into the phone before cutting the call within seconds and setting it down on the countertop. A smile graced his lips as he wrapped the other arm around her waist. "For some reason...I need to appease my wife," he smiled at her.

She tossed him an annoyed glance before ignoring him again. "You need to do a hell of a lot more than "appease" her."

He chuckled, unfazed. For some reason, he found her to be incredibly cute whenever she's annoyed or irritated with him. He could never really take her seriously when she's like that.

"I'm glad you find me amusing," she dryly said.

"Why are you mad at me, Stell?" he chuckled, leaning into her.

"I don't know," she said before elbowing him, making him let her go in surprise. She went to the stove before throwing the spices into the pan.

"Don't," he grabbed her arm.

"Don't what?" she sighed, a little peeved.

He shook his head at her antics before tugging her into his arms. "Tell me what's wrong instead of giving me the attitude," he chuckled, pinching her cheek in affection.

"You're the one giving me the attitude," she said, punching his shoulder.

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You've been biting someone's head off all evening and I feel like you're mad at someone," she said. "…That someone being me."

He stared at her before letting out a laugh and making his chest rumble in response. "So, let me get this straight," he chuckled. "You're mad at me because you think I'm mad at you?" he laughed.

"Stop laughing at me!" she pouted, hitting his arm.

Amusement danced in his eyes while his smile twinkled with mischief. "I'm laughing because you're ridiculously cute," he chuckled. "I'm not mad at you. But when you're away for a few days, people tend to forget who's the boss," he shook his head before picking up his phone and wiggling it around. "Happy now?" he asked.

Stella felt stupid before her features started to soften. _Oh._ "…Sure…?" she asked hesitantly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She threw him an uncertain glance. "But you've been feeling uneasy ever since we got here, and I was wondering what happened."

His smile faded from his lips as he listened to her. _So, she noticed._ He shook his head. Trust her to know everything. "I'm fine, Stell. Really," he tried to reassure, barely being able to convince himself, let alone her.

"…You're not," she bit her lip, watching uncertainty and sadness flash back and forth between his eyes. "Tell me what's wrong."

He sighed. "…I'm worried, Stell. That's all," he smiled slightly.

"About your parents?" Stella guessed.

He nodded.

Realization dawned in Stella's eyes as she understood. It must be killing him to stay so far away from them. He has no clue what's going on back home. The blonde bit her lip. "…Then go," she said with a defeated sigh.

"What?" he asked.

"You're obviously not happy here, so…leave," she said casually.

Stunned into silence, he asked quietly. "…Do you really mean that?"

"Yes. I do," she nodded. "I'm obviously not happy about it, but if it makes you fall asleep at night, then you should go," she replied, offering a small smile.

"We just got together, Stell," he sighed softly, pressing his forehead to hers. "I want to be with you as much as I can," he confessed before his hand moved up to caress her cheek.

She bit her lip. "Your parents need you more than I do," she reassured him, suppressing her sadness for him. She didn't want him to stay here because he felt obligated to. She didn't want to see him spacing out constantly and worrying himself sick. She didn't want him to feel guilty about staying here. As much as it'll break her heart to see him leave, especially now that she just got him back, she's willing to still let him go. "Go," she smiled. "I mean it. We're only a few hours away," she encouraged him. Hearing herself saying those words tossed her in disappointment. She felt as if her hopes were pulled sky high and then kicked off.

 _Just one._ She wanted just _one_ normal day with him. Filled with fluff, fluff, and fluff and nothing but fluff.

Brandon watched her fight a conflicted battle with herself as she put on a façade of strength for him. Whether or not she _really_ wanted him to go, it's the thought that counts. He held her gently, tenderly cupping her face with one hand. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, surprising her for a moment. She relaxed soon as he continued to shower her with soft, gentle kisses along her jawline. His thumb stroked her back in back and forth swipes, coaxing small shivers out of her. He traced his lips back up before they met her trembling ones. His usual way of hurrying from one thing to the next halted as he took his sweet time to savor this moment. He felt her grip on him tighten as she kissed him back. His fingers tangling in her hair, he grabbed her closer, deepening the kiss. The intense feelings that radiated from him flushed her body with heat, warming her till her toes. Just as she felt lightheaded and floaty, he drew away, leaving her in a suspended state of blissful euphoria.

She opened her eyes shakily, panting softly. He opened his own and swallowed slightly before gazing into her honey-brown eyes. Her heart sang with raw, pure happiness as his delicate, yet intense gaze ventured far beyond the hair and makeup. She never felt so speechless or overwhelmed to be the heiress to his love and affection.

Neither said anything. Stella panted and rested her head on his chest, wondering what it is they were talking about before. They stood in silence in each other's embrace, the moment being too precious to ruin.

* * *

It was eventually decided that Brandon would head back to New York but would drop by every now and then to pay visits here in New Jersey. Though Stella felt extremely low and disappointed, she knew she'll spring back up and eventually get over it.

Brandon and Stella stood in the driveway early next morning. She looked a little sad as he unlocked the car. Turning to her, he embraced her. "If you want to see me, just give me a call at lunchtime. I'll be by your side by the time you come home," he said enthusiastically, encouraging both of them that this wasn't the end. They'll see each other again.

"Can I take up that offer every day?" she asked innocently with a cute smile.

He laughed shortly before gently grasping her chin. "You bet," he grinned before kissing her forehead. "Be good and stay out of trouble," he teased.

She scoffed before playfully hitting his arm. "Right back at you," she rolled her eyes.

He chuckled before letting her go. "Love you," he said softly, stroking her cheek. "I'll come down whenever I can, okay?" he reassured her again. "I'll visit lots."

She didn't want him "come by." She didn't want him to "visit." She wanted him to stay. She sucked it up before plastering happiness for him. "Love you too and don't worry about that," she shook her head. "Take care," she smiled before hugging him tightly.

"Call me tonight?" he asked.

"You bet," she smirked, making him laugh.

A few minutes later, Stella waved to him with a small, sad smile as he pulled out of the driveway. She watched his car until it disappeared from her line of sight. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she retreated back to the house to carry on with her day.

* * *

 **~ Princeton University Campus – 10:30 AM ~**

"Hey, Bloom," Stella greeted her redheaded friend, giving her a short hug. "Where's Tec?"

Bloom rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure if her relationship is with her phone or Timmy," she snorted, making Stella laugh. It wasn't discreet that Tecna and Timmy spent 90% of their time texting or sending emails to one another rather than seeing other face-to-face. "What about you?" Bloom asked. "You seem almost…sad"

Stella shook her head. "No, I'm good. Brandon went back for a couple of days to spend time with family. He must've gotten nostalgic after the wedding and everything," she explained with a short laugh.

Bloom's eyes widened. "Seriously? I swear that boy has had his residence changed at least ten times since you joined here," she commented.

Stella laughed before nodding in agreement. "What about you and Sky? All good?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Bloom and Sky were the type of couples that resolve everything — from something as miniscule as an ant to titanic as the Titanic itself — with sex. So, Stella really didn't expect to hear any problems from them.

As expected, Bloom flashed her a thumbs-up and a toothy grin. "Stell, we're _always_ good," she snickered, giving the blonde a sly wink.

Stella chuckled and shook her head with a smile.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you," Bloom tugged on her sleeve. "I was serious about the road trip idea, by the way," she said.

Stella's eyes widened. "Really?"

Bloom nodded with enthusiasm. "Of course! It'll be loads of fun! We can go to the Niagara or wait! We can go to Vegas!" she bubbled with excitement.

Stella stared at her for a moment before starting to laugh. "Well, we sure as hell aren't going to Vegas."

"Why not?" Bloom snickered before sighing dreamily. "I want to know why people say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

"Well, if that's the reason we're going, then I doubt the guys will agree to that," Stella giggled, already imagining the conversation with Brandon going haywire. She can just hear what he'll say.

 _"Over. My. Dead. Body."_

Yup. He'll say that. She laughed to herself. "Nope. They won't."

"Let's see…Timmy definitely will," Bloom counted off on her fingers. "Nabu and Helia might. Riven…" the redhead trailed off, giving a knowing groan to Stella. "He's jealous even if a male dog comes near Musa," Bloom grumbled with an angry pout, leaving Stella to burst into a fit of giggles. Amen! "And Brandon definitely won't," she snorted, giving the blonde a cold look. "And Sky better let me go or he's never touching me again," Bloom threatened, peeved enough to resort to _that_ kind of blackmail. Her frustration made Stella stifle a few laughs. Before long, the redhead's shoulders slumped as she rubbed her forehead in disappointment.

"Well…at least let's wait until Flora's delivery," the blonde suggested, patting her friend's back in comfort. "Fingers crossed."

Bloom nodded before the two continued walking along the quad.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House – 7:40 PM ~**

Hours later, Stella returned home after a busy day. She opened her phone only to see two missed calls and eight texts from Brandon. She grinned in anticipation as she entered the home and shut the door behind her.

She kicked off her shoes and placed her bag aside. She jumped on the couch in the living room before lying down. Immediately, she opened his texts.

 **9:02 AM –** _Reached. Call you soon. Stay safe. :)_

 **12:35 PM –** _Had lunch yet?_

 **4:03 PM –** _Back home yet?_

 **4:06 PM –** _Earth to Stella!_

 **5:04 PM –** _Call me when you get home._

 **6:13 PM –** _Nope…I'm not worried…but getting there…_

This one made her laugh. She can tell he was trying not to get antsy.

 **6:18 PM –** _Let me know you're okay. Please?_

 **6:32 PM –** Missed call (1) – Brandon

Yup. Definitely antsy now.

 **6:46 PM –** _Stella, answer the damn phone._

 **6:47 PM –** Missed call (1) – Brandon

Officially pissed.

Her neck burned as she felt a guilty blush grace her face. Instantly, she called him. Either he has some serious quick fingers, or he's worried as _hell._ He answered within a ring or two.

"Stella, you…!" he cursed upon picking up.

"Hi," she sheepishly smiled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my phone was on silent the whole day!"

"I'm not even gone for twelve hours and you're already being difficult," he chided.

She let out an involuntary giggle.

"Why are you giggling like an idiot? I'm serious!" he said incredulously.

"…Because it feels really nice to be scolded by you," she smiled. Sometimes, she loved to be on the recipient end of his overprotective attitude. Though she felt guilty for worrying him, she still felt special. It doesn't feel like he's berating her or controlling her. It just feels sweet.

"…You're insane," he mumbled, shaking his head.

"I miss you," she softly said with a melancholic smile.

He remained silent for a few moments. "Miss you more, Sunshine," he warmly said. "Just a few more weeks, alright? I'll come and get you," he softly said.

She let out a soft hmm of acknowledgement. She felt a sense of déjà vu. She had similar feelings of loneliness when she was staying with Jay—

Wait. _Jay!_ Hey, maybe she can room with Jay for a day or so whenever she felt lonely. It's not like she never went to his home uninvited.

"How was your day?" Stella asked.

"Same as usual," he smiled into the phone.

"What did you cook today?"

"Nothing yet. I'm thinking of some lemon orzo," he answered casually.

"The flip is that?"

He laughed. "Google it, love," he chuckled. "I'll make it for you some time."

"Well, I'm ordering pizza," she proudly stated. "You know, the great, tasty, and unhealthy meals. Not that you ever heard of 'em."

He laughed again before shaking his head with a smile.

They spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up after wishing each other good night.

Stella sighed as she held the phone in her hands. She felt a little sad as she looked around the silent, empty home. It was supposed to flourish with life but instead, it dinged with melancholy. She really missed him, especially now. It's barely been four days since they got together, and they're already separated with more than a hundred miles in between. _Oh, the irony._

* * *

 **~ The Following Morning – 7:05 AM ~**

Stella sipped on her morning coffee and took a bite of her bagel before surfing through the Internet leisurely. She had woken up to a fluffy text of good morning from Brandon. It made her smile, but she ended up missing him all the more.

Her body curved towards the front door when she heard the doorbell ring. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she checked the time. Who's at the front door now? She stood up and put the phone back in her pocket before taking another sip of her coffee. Covering the distance within a few strides, Stella's hand gripped the knob before gently turning it. She opened the door only to see a delivery boy with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"Mrs. Stella Shields?" he inquired.

Stella nodded.

The teen gave her a smile. "Delivery for you, ma'am," he said as he handed the flowers.

"At this time in the morning?" Stella asked curiously before taking the bunch. Her eyes narrowed as she took the flowers with hesitation.

"Yes, the sender was very insistent and particular," the teen gave her a small laugh before nodding. "Have a great day."

"Thanks, you too," Stella nodded before closing the door loosely. It was a beautiful assorted bouquet with white carnations, yellow roses, sunflowers, and marigolds. Well, someone was definitely trying to impress her. She stared at the uniquely put together flowers before seeing a message taped on it.

 _They're beautiful, yes, but can never be compared to the angel holding them. Have a great day, princess. :)_

 _Love,_

 _Me._

Stella laughed before she felt a small smile forming on her lips before she slapped her forehead at her own stupidity. _Duh!_ Who else would send her flowers at this time in the morning?

She clutched the bouquet before making her way towards the kitchen. She filled a vase with water before gently placing the flowers inside. Her smile widened as she traced her fingers along the petals, marveling at the velvety softness of them. She wondered how long it's been since she received flowers from someone. _Two and a half years,_ she answered her own question. Jason had given them on one of their first dates.

Stella took out her phone, a grin forming on her face.

 _You're a cheesy dork. D-O-R-K._

She added a few flower emojis. Shooting him the text, she tapped her fingers breezily against the back of her phone, waiting for his reply impatiently. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait for long.

 _I guess being with you has rubbed off some of your cheesiness on me. ;)_

A scoff left her lips as she rolled her eyes. Still, the smile on her lips refused to leave her.

 _Why, you…!_

Her phone pinged again.

 _Hurry up now. Wouldn't want you to go rogue on your second day back to school ;)_

"Arrogant prick," she mumbled at his text. He was treating her like she was a toddler tossed in kindergarten.

But still, this small but significant moment made her mundane morning so much better as she left the house in a happy mood ten minutes later.

* * *

 ** _One and a half month later…_**

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House – New Jersey – 9:30 AM ~**

It's been a little over six weeks since Spring Break.

Stella kept receiving flowers on a daily basis and frequently chocolates throughout the entire time. Chocolates! _Major husband points!_ Filled with cute and cheesy messages that lit up her mornings, she was able to focus more on her academics without having that dark cloud of loneliness looming over her. Talking and texting Brandon every day…it almost felt like old times when she had stayed with Jay. God, that feels like forever ago. It's been two years since she completed her undergrad and in less than a week, she'll be finished with her post-grad as well. Time really does fly by when you're not paying attention to it.

Deadlines were fulfilled, exams were written, and grades were due within two to three days. Unofficially finished with her studies, Stella felt a strange sense of accomplishment as she relaxed in the house. The past two years have been…life-changing. Filled with more drama than her first twenty-one years combined, it's been a long, eventful road getting here. While she lost something far too valuable to replace, she gained something just as dear to her.

Brandon had seldom visited her over the past few weeks and even when he did, he had never stayed the night. It was just a couple of hours and most of those were spent outdoors. No matter how late it got and despite her never-ending insistence for him to stay, he hadn't stayed. _Odd._ Now that she thought about it…he had been acting all squirrelly. She thought he'd be the one to insist staying indoors and...engaging in physical pursuits that involved the bed and a lack of clothes, but _no._ None of such happened. Guess he was really taking the "taking things slow" thing seriously. And she loved him for that, she really did but it was completely unnecessary.

Anyways.

Today was a blissful Saturday, so this would be the perfect time to call him. She dialed his number before quickly cutting it. Instead, she set up a video call and waited for him to pick up. The phone went on and on for a few rings and the blonde started to grow impatient. She wondered what was taking so long when—

The feed opened to show a very sleepy looking Brandon as he stared at the phone with drowsy, half-lidded eyes. "Hello?" he groggily answered.

Surprised to see him still sleeping in, Stella guffawed. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" she greeted with a bright grin.

"Stell?" he hummed with sleep-filled eyes. He blinked a few times before yawning. He set the phone to the side where she can still see him. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around for the clock. _9:43 AM._ He groaned as he slowly sat up. The duvet around him fell down his waist, rendering him shirtless. Stella blushed slightly when her eyes feasted on his skin, his perfect tan, and his flawlessly sculptured chest. Oblivious to her gooey eyes, he stood up before stretching and rolling back his shoulder blades to relieve his stiffened muscles. His gaze shifted towards the phone and he picked it up. "Morning," he mumbled before looking at her with sleepy eyes.

Stella snapped out of her trance when he finally responded. "When did you sleep last night?"

"I don't remember," he responded before letting out a small yawn and covering it with the back of his hand. He carried the phone with him to the bathroom before looking at himself in the mirror. He raked a hand through his wildly tousled, disheveled hair. "I'll call you in a few," he told the blonde to which she nodded.

Stella stood up from the couch before heading to the kitchen to whip up a quick breakfast and get started on lunch in the meantime. She was in the mood to devour a feast, so might as well work to fill the thirst.

Ten to fifteen minutes later, Stella felt her back-pocket buzz. With a bright grin, she took out the phone and answered the call. "Hi!" she waved to him as she took in his appearance. He was still shirtless, his hair appeared shaggily messy, but he looked very much awake. Coincidentally, he was in the kitchen as well, moving around.

She saw him shoot a cool smirk at her. "Hey, you. What's up?" Just then, he looked around and noticed that she was in the kitchen too. "What's cooking?" he asked curiously.

She shot him an evil smirk. "Spicy chicken cordon bleu," she said. "No cheese," she whispered, knowing he preferred his food with limited fatty items. Cordon bleu is normally a dish that consists of some meat being wrapped around cheese, but instead of the dairy, Stella once tried the opposite: using a mixture of spices. And that's the way he loved it. Well, it was his favorite dish, after all, even if half of it strays away from the traditional recipe.

As expected, his eyes shot to the roof before he threw her a sad frown. "Really?" he asked, trying to peek into the kitchen to see if she's telling the truth, acting as if he's physically present with her.

Stella laughed at his attempts before flipping the phone around to show him the ingredients she had set out a few minutes ago.

"Are you kidding me?!" he mumbled.

"Told you," she giggled. "You can make it too, you know," she teased as she flipped the phone back to her.

"It's tastier when you cook it for me," he playfully grinned.

She shook her head with a smile. "You're not going to work today, are you?" she asked curiously, casually changing the subject.

"Probably not," he shrugged as he set the phone down on the countertop before moving freely around the kitchen.

"Any plans then?"

"None really," he said before turning to her to give her a warm smile. "You?"

"Probably take a HUGE nap," she sighed in bliss. She was officially done with her college! Woohoo! Time to celebrate!

"Lazy ass," he rolled his eyes, considering the occasion irrelevant. "You literally just woke up."

She simply smirked, unaffected. "You, my dear, don't know how to live life the right way."

"At least I'm conscious and awake for most of it," he retorted right on cue.

 _Ouch._ Stella stared at him with a peeved look, fuming. He chuckled, clearly winning the argument hands-down.

"Alright, I have to go but I'll call you later," Brandon suddenly said, turning to her.

Stella's interest spiked. "Where? I thought you said you didn't have any plans," she accused.

"The ever-so-nosy little Stell," he shook his head with an amused smile.

"Hey, I'm allowed to be nosy," she pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone.

He simply let out a cool 'tsk' in response before crossing his arms, a cool smirk widening on his lips.

Seeing him giving nothing away, she felt a sad frown turn her smile upside down. She let out a soft sigh. "…Are you really not going to be here till I graduate?" she asked, tracing his face on the screen, missing him even more as she said that. He told her that he'd come the night before she graduates. But she simply wondered.

 _Why?_

Why not sooner? It was fine and dandy when he didn't visit that much the past few weeks. She had something to do then. She had something to occupy herself with. But now? Now she had nothing. Literally _nothing._ There are only so many movies and TV show episodes she can binge watch in a single day. There's only so much news feed she can go through on her social media. She has everything to busy herself with. But it gets boring after a while and she'll find herself wishing for the one thing that isn't here.

"I wish I can hug you," she mumbled, seeing him impassively gazing at her.

"What?" he strained his ears, unequivocally telling her to speak up.

"I said I want to hug you," she repeated testily. She sighed sadly before slowly nodding in understanding. It's okay. She waited for weeks. She can wait for a few more days. And then he'll be back by her side.

Brandon stared at her saddened face, his playful demeanor threatening to slip away. "I'm guessing today's bouquet wasn't one of your favorites?" he teased. "Should I send over another?"

Her sad frown uplifted into a small smile as she saw him trying to cheer her up. "…Throw in a few chocolates and I'm game."

Brandon laughed before gazing at her. "Just a couple more days, okay?" he gently reassured her, earning a nod from her. He offered a smile of comfort in response.

Within the next few minutes, the couple soon bid an adieu before cutting the call.

Brandon stood in the kitchen, tapping his foot absentmindedly. He didn't even bother weighing his options before arriving to a decision. He halted whatever he was doing before shelfing everything back in the refrigerator and cupboards. He grabbed his phone before exiting the kitchen and climbing stairs, taking two at a time.

* * *

 ** _Four hours later…_**

 **~ Jay's House – Living Room – 2:10 PM ~**

Stella decided to crash over at Jay's tonight and maybe for the next few days too. She brought along snacks and any other perishables before shelving everything in Jay's cupboards. She tossed a text to Brandon to which he told her to enjoy herself.

Sitting in the living room, the two had Netflix and a table filled with junk food and the lunch that Stella brought over and the lasagna Jay had cooked up.

"Mhhhmmm, man, if I knew you were going to be my maid, I wouldn't have cooked," Jay smirked as he munched on a raspberry macaron from a packet she brought over from the store.

Stella shot him an unhappy pout before picking up the cushion pillow beside her and throwing it in his face. It hit him square in the face, leaving him to give an unhappy frown as the pillow fell into his lap. _Serves him right._ "I'm no one's maid, jackass," she snorted.

"Of course, you are—" Jay teased but was interrupted when the doorbell rang.

They both looked at each other before Stella stood up. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Nope."

"Maybe your boyfriend came for a surprise visit," Stella snickered before her fingers turned the knob and opened the door.

Jay chuckled. "Or yours _,"_ he smirked as he saw the person at the door.

Stella's eyes widened as she instantly squealed after seeing Brandon. She was quick and instant to respond. "Brandon!" she exclaimed in happiness before pouncing on him. "Hi!"

Brandon laughed as he returned her hug just as enthusiastically with one arm as he held a brown duffel bag in another. His smile deepened when the blonde kissed him hard on the cheek.

"Great. Back to being a third wheel again," Jay grumbled unhappily before standing up, the bouncy smile returning to his face as quick as lightning.

Stella giggled as the couple separated before Brandon held her by his side, snaking an arm around her waist.

"Good to see you, handsome," Jay whistled before opening his arms for a hug.

Brandon rolled his eyes and snorted before hitting him upside the head, leaving the latter to howl and glare. "What the hell are you doing with my girl?" the brunet asked, tossing Jay a playful, threatening glare.

"The obvious," Jay snickered in response, leaving Stella to gasp and hit his arm.

Brandon grinned at that in satisfaction but only until—

"I thought that was supposed to be _our_ secret, Jay," Stella slyly said with a teasing grin, throwing a wink to him.

Brandon looked bewildered for a second before he started to openly fume at the two, who started to giggle like idiots. Before long, the two began laughing. Brandon snorted and shook his head. He placed his bag aside before flopping on the couch, ignoring both of them. Honestly, these two monkeys are a handful. "You two _clearly_ don't have boundary issues," he stubbornly scowled at both of them.

Getting a hold of her giggles, Stella joined him on the couch before sitting beside him. She held his arm tentatively, silently telling him that she was just joking. Turning to her, he gave her a smile to show that he wasn't really mad.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what are you here for?" Stella smiled from ear to ear.

Turning to her, Brandon smirked. "The obvious," he snickered before swinging an arm around her.

Stella's cheeks turned as red as a tomato but before she could fumble with a response, Jay cut in uninvited. "How many times should I supervise you two as the third wheel?" he whined, hitting both of them with pillows.

"Ow, hey!" Stella complained as the pillow hit her head, leaving Brandon to glare and throw the pillow back at Jay.

"If you're that jealous, then bring your boyfriend over too," Brandon snickered. "And we'll all have a merry double date."

Stella facepalmed as the two continued to fight each other by throwing pillows immaturely. She barely listened in as Jay and Brandon continued to snide at each other. She pulled her knees up and leaned against the armrest before opening a new packet of potato chips and munching on them, watching them as an observant third-party who refuses to take a stand in favor for any of them.

"You two really need to take this married couple spat outside," the blonde piqued from between them.

The two boys suddenly stopped.

Jay immediately hit upside the head in embarrassment. "He started it!"

Brandon scoffed before raising his fist to threaten a punch when Jay's pocket began to conveniently buzz.

"You're lucky I have to attend this call," Jay smirked before standing up and holding his phone, redirecting Stella's attention once again.

"So are you," Brandon rolled his eyes and held up his hand in advance to catch the flying pillow Jay threw at him with a chuckle.

"Who is it, by the way?" Stella asked curiously.

"Just…someone," Jay smiled a little nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

Stella and Brandon looked at each other before flashing him a thumbs-up for good lunch. They watched in amusement as Jay scurried off immediately and soon disappeared into his room before closing the door behind him.

 _Really convenient,_ Brandon chuckled to himself as he shifted his attention back to Stella. He mentally thanked whoever was on the other end of Jay's call, responsible for giving the couple here some lone time.

The couple turned to each other. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't be here for another few days?" Stella asked.

"Should I leave and come back later then?" Brandon chuckled, tucking a lock of hair affectionately behind her ear.

"No," she laughed. "I was just curious."

He leaned in closer. "I'm actually here for that hug you were talking about," he smiled, caressing her cheek.

Her lips parted slightly in surprise before a goofy smile stretched onto her face. "If I've known you'd pop by right after, I would've asked sooner," she grinned before wrapping her arms around him, lying on top of him on the couch.

Brandon smiled, locking his arms around her waist as he stretched to his full height to make it more comfortable for them. She rested her head right below his chin, letting her ears hear his rhythmic heartbeat. "But surely you're not here just for this," she teased, arching an amused brow.

"You're right. I'm not," he nodded. "And speaking of, do you still have any of that chicken left?" he asked, looking around before turning to her.

She laughed. "You're lucky I brought it here," she said. "It's over there," she said, pointing to a counter on the kitchen where a sky-blue hot box rested innocently.

"Then what am I waiting for?" he tossed her a happy grin before grunting and lifting himself up. Stella got up from him and stood up, giving him enough space to move. He didn't waste another second before making a beeline towards the kitchen. She watched in mirth as he raided the cabinets for a spoon and a plate, his heart practically singing with the delight, much like the way a child squeals when he's handed an extra scoop of ice-cream. It was his favorite dish after all.

Brandon grabbed the box before returning to the living room. Sitting down beside her, he didn't realize how hungry he had been until he opened the container and took a whiff. The traditional spicy chicken cordon bleu had been his absolute favorite dish until Stella replaced it with spices one day. He stabbed a fork into one of the pieces before taking a bite of it and closing his eyes in absolute bliss.

Stella watched the emotions flicker back and forth on his handsome face. Suddenly…he seemed _years_ younger. He was always so serious, so concentrated and meticulous on everything he did that he often forgot he had a youth to enjoy. He'd act with the maturity of someone at least ten years older than him. And while that's an admirable thing in many cases, often, you can never see how horribly quick times fly by. He's often seeing smirking, always oozing charisma and confidence with his eyes alone that made him absolutely irresistible to any walking woman on the streets, herself included. She enjoyed his bad boy image and masculinity, but she always found his rare, playful nature absolutely heartwarming.

"Mhmmm," he chewed with a boyish grin on his face. "I'm sorry but you're not getting any more of this. Just saying."

Stella smiled in response. She wasn't in the mood to eat after seeing him enjoy what she had made. It always made her happy when he complimented her on her cooking.

 _A man's heart is through his stomach._ A true and wise adage in this instance.

* * *

 **~ The Same Night – 11:30 PM ~**

Jay had returned from his phone call pretty quickly earlier. And the three pretty much wasted the day away with talking, watching movies, playing board games, and blowing up their credit cards by ordering in food (mostly at the insistence of Stella) at irregular intervals.

They decided to retire for the night with Jay vanishing into his room while Stella and Brandon roomed in her old bedroom. Lights were turned off but both of them were still half awake. Brandon sat against the bed's headrest and held Stella by the waist as she sat between his legs.

"Sunshine…" he lazily hummed, his lips moving faintly against her jaw.

"Yeah?" she replied softly in the night.

He didn't reply. Instead, he softly rocked them back and forth. The gentle swings soothed her and started to lull her to sleep. Finally getting some privacy, Stella decided to shoot a question before her brain shuts down and she ends up forgetting it later. "How are your parents doing? How's Heather?" she asked softly in concern, suppressing a yawn.

Brandon let out a small shrug. "She's fine, but...you know. These things take time to forget," he simply said before pressing his lips against her cheek. He rested his chin on her shoulder, a little tired from the eventful day.

"Oh," she murmured, yawning again. His little ministrations were seriously starting to work as a strong-dozed sedative. Her nerves began to calm themselves and she felt herself nearly drift off. "That's good…" she mumbled weakly and trailed off before yawning again.

Brandon saw her nearly asleep and decided to crash as well. He lifted her slightly to adjust and pull himself down to the bed. Stella rolled off to the side as Brandon pulled the covers over them. "Night, Stell," he whispered before pulling her close.

"Night, Brand," she murmured just as sleepily as he held her loosely from behind.

 _…_

* * *

Brandon and Stella stayed over with Jay during the weekend before heading back to their own place. The two packed their stuff into boxes, which mainly consisted of Stella's clothes, accessories, and cosmetics. They were due to evacuate the home right after the blonde attends her graduation. It felt a little sad but nonetheless it was great news for both of them to finally be able to live together in the same home.

* * *

 ** _A few days later…_**

"Stella Solaria," the announcer called.

The girls and guys clapped as the blonde went up the stairs to get her degree. There was a bright smile on her face as she thanked the president, who handed her degree with a smile. "Congratulations," he smiled. "Thank you, sir," she said with a smile.

Stella walked down the stage as the candidate behind her received his degree.

A small smile left her lips when she saw Brandon grinning at her from the audience with pride. He was clapping and hooting for her.

One by one, the graduates received their degrees before clichély throwing their hats in the air after the ceremony finished. The alumni jumped around in joy as they surrounded themselves with loved ones, friends, colleagues, and professors.

Brandon laughed as he watched Stella run towards him. Spreading his arms wide for her, she crashed into them in no time. He wounded his arms around her tightly before smiling into her hair. "Well done, Stell," he whispered tenderly before holding her at arm's length.

"Thank you," she smiled at him as he looked dashing in a classic all-black suit. Her eyes twinkled with a delirious happiness. His arm snaked around her back, tugging her closer to himself as he looked at her degree. His eyes swelled with pride. Looking at it, he felt a strange sense of achievement from within and he knew why. The past two years have definitely been something else. They've gone through so much, battled too many obstacles. But if it led to _this_ moment, the moment when they've risen above those challenges, then all of that…all of that was _worth_ _it_. Seeing her faintly tracing the letters of her own name, he had a feeling she shared the same sentiments as him.

The day they've been waiting for and complaining about all this time was finally here. It's amazing how quickly times fly. Two years feel like forever to finish but when they _do_ finish, looking back on them...nothing feels this nostalgic.

Throughout these two years, Stella made great memories with her college, made three new lifelong friends, and was married to an amazing man who thinks about everyone but himself. It's crazy to think to see how many twists and turns she walked on to arrive to this very exact moment.

"What now?" she asked with a smile, leaning her head into his chest.

"Now?" He smirked. "Now we celebrate," he chuckled before folding her hand into his and running to their friends.

* * *

 ** _Another week or so later…_**

A young blonde treaded her feet over the padded soil before approaching her destination with a constricted throat.

Eyeing the abandoned, dusty gravestones, Stella felt tears touch her hazel eyes. She lowered herself as poignant memories broke her heart. Sniffling softly, she sat on her knees before reaching over and dusting off the fallen and dried foliage, her heart becoming as vulnerable as the cackling leaves underneath her fingers. She retreated back and looked at her hands, a tear slipping down her cheek at the ashy dust that accumulated in the edges of her palms and fingers. She dusted her hands off before quietly watching the graves before her.

"Hey, Mom. Hi, Daddy," she softly greeted her resting parents in a melancholic voice, tears tingling her eyes. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come here," she whispered while a few tears rolled down her cheeks. With a soft sniffle, she placed the bouquet of cerise red roses and magnolia white lilies in her lap on the stone.

 _June 8th…_

Today marked the day they died exactly two years ago.

She let out a small sob before covering her face with her hands. She wished she didn't have to remember them the way she did. The last images she had of them while they were alive were ones where they were faintly breathing on hospital beds. Their heads, though wrapped in thick bandages, still stained the white clothes with red. Flashes of them covered in needles and tubes, along with the beeping machines that monitored their weakly beating hearts pulsed through Stella's head as she struggled not to relive that nightmare. She didn't even realize she had been shedding silent tears until some of the drops fell on her dress with light pressures.

She fought not to give in to that pain again. She didn't come here today for that. With a few shaky sniffles, she miraculously managed to stop for now. She wiped her eyes with a tissue and wasn't too surprised to see a sandy residue on it. She was thankful that she wore only basic foundation and powder today.

Stella let out a shivering breath. She felt chilling sensations run up and down her spine, despite it being out during a hot afternoon in the summer. She reached into her purse before pulling out the tassel she wore for her graduation last week. She gently combed her fingers through the orange and white dangling threads to untangle them before holding the tassel up by the knot. "I love you, guys," she whispered before slowly taping it gently as well on the grey stone.

She quietly talked to them, updating them on her life. "I told Ben that I'll do it," she softly said. "I can only hope that…that one day, I make you proud."

Paying her respects and love, she sat quietly and silently mourned. She regretted not being able to come sooner but at the same time, she felt that she had a reason for it. Ever since she left this graveyard two years ago, she's been terrified to come back here again. Sighing softly to herself, she shed a few tears every few moments as she remembered some of the best memories she made with her parents over two decades of her life.

A solid forty to fifty minutes later, Stella hugged herself as she walked back on the trail. She left the graveyard with a heavy heart, promising herself to come back again very soon.

 _Buried in the same coffin, her parents rested under the earth in peace, staying forever silent._

In her heart, they'll always be alive. In her heart, she'll always hear their laughter and playful banters.

She stopped a few feet short when she saw Brandon, leaning against the car, waiting patiently for her. Her eyes widened to see him still here. She thought he would've left by now, judging by how much time she had spent here. Nonetheless, she was indebted to him. He stood up straight when he saw her. Her feet automatically moved at a faster pace as she covered the distance between them in a few long strides. His eyes softened as he uncrossed his arms and spread them wide just in time for her to enter them. She let out a muffled sigh as he tugged her into a gentle, yet firm embrace.

A lone tear stained her cheek before it soaked into his shirt.

"Are you okay?" He voiced his concern gently, tightening his hold on her.

Stella silently nodded anyway, despite both of them knowing it's just the opposite. She wasn't fine but…

 _The faintest of smiles uplifted her lips as she realized that she never felt so much at peace till now. It was strangely liberating._

He pulled back, holding her at arm's length. "Do you want to go home?" he asked.

She nodded again mutely.

He nodded in response before pressing his lips softly between her brows. "Anything you need," he whispered, stroking her skin gently.

Before long, they were driving down the road silently.

Stella looked out the window and hypnotically watched buildings pass by before taking a deep breath.

"Hungry?" she heard Brandon ask, turning to her briefly.

 _She felt a sense of victory and a strange feeling of happiness as she realized what she gained today._

She shook her head before stopping herself. "You know what? Actually, I am," she answered, changing her mind.

He smiled at her, obviously pleased with her answer. He reached down to take her hand in his while driving. She felt a smile bloom on her lips as they intertwined their hands together. After a long time, she felt her heart finally rest and thud in peace.

 _Closure._

* * *

 ** _A few days later…_**

 **~ Shields' Corporations – Top Floor – 5:30 PM ~**

"It's official!" Stella exclaimed in exasperation as she barged into Brandon's office room, uninvited.

The brunet looked up in surprise at the fuming blonde. The movement of the pen in his hands froze as he blinked, wondering what she was doing here of all place. Didn't she say she was going to be really busy today?

"Ben is the _worst_ person on this entire planet!" Stella screeched in frustration before throwing her purse on the couch.

Brandon's eyes flashed with recognition. _Ahh._ Now he understood. After Stella graduated, the will that her parents left her went immediately effective. It's barely been ten days but there was a stream of paperwork to be done to transfer the properties on Stella's name. And now that she was stepping up to take her rightful place in the family business, her limits are being pushed to surprising extents. She's been talking to Ben Hall for the past few days, along with attorneys and the legal departments. There were too many clauses to be understood, too many signatures to scribble, and too much time to invest.

 _Neither of which she had enough patience for,_ Brandon chuckled to himself, very much entertained. _Yet._

"What brings you here then?" he asked with a playful smile tugging at his lips as he relaxed back in his chair, his fingers playing absentmindedly with the blue pen.

Stella didn't respond. He watched her pace back and forth and mutter angrily under her breath. Her cheeks were flushed scarlet red and her hair was no longer neatly brushed as she repeatedly combed through her hair with her fingers (a nervous habit of hers) in raw irritation.

Brandon slowly stood up before resting his elbow on the chair, leaning against it slightly. His fingers drummed against the black cushion as his amusement shifted to impassiveness. "I'd really like it if you didn't wear a path on the floor," he said, interrupting her nonsense. He chose not to correct her narrowed perspective of mistaking Ben's efficiency as _nagging._

"I can't believe him," she groaned, still ignoring him and carrying on with her complaining. "You have the damn papers, the clear-as-day will, and all the evidence mumbo-jumbo, but _NO!_ He still needs a ton more and at this rate, I won't be able to go to work for weeks!"

Brandon scratched his head, not understanding what on earth she's _here_ for. At the rate she's ignoring him, it's a miracle that she actually found this room instead of storming into someone else's. He rubbed his forehead. He actually had better things — _important things_ — to do than sit here and listen to her wail. "Stella," he tried tiredly. It was interesting when she walked in but now, he was done.

She gasped when she finally noticed him here. She walked up to him before grabbing his tie. "Don't you agree?!" she asked with her eyes wide.

He stared at her in frustration. "Agree about what? And what the hell are you doing here?!" he bellowed testily, his eyes turning serious.

Stella blinked before she looked at him with confusion for a moment. Recognition soon flashed in her eyes as she remembered. Honestly…she just came to vent.

And he knew that. But he wanted _her_ to say it. He spends more than twelve hours in a day being at home, whether it be working from the living room or staying with her. Nonetheless, he was with her the whole time. It's not as easy as it looks for him. If anything, weighing between work and home constantly was inefficient for him. But he didn't mind. He didn't complain about being home with the girl he loved. But the office was _his_ time. He needed to give his undivided attention to his fixed schedule, not listen to a crybaby howling about how difficult her day had been. "Stop complaining and stop whining. Go back to work. I'll see you later tonight," he said with a shake of his head, his tone devoid of any affection. He shrugged his tie off from her hold before adjusting it back again. He turned to go sit back down before she stopped him again.

Clearly, she hadn't caught the gravity in his tone as she grabbed his grey sleeve, holding him back. "Can't I just stay here?" she pouted.

He raised an eyebrow. " _No_ , you cannot," he shook his head.

"But why?" she whined. "I'm terrified to think about the gazillion clauses that I have to go through with the attorneys," she ranted before banging her head against his chest repeatedly in soft thumps. "I want ice-cream," she mumbled randomly before looking up at him with big, baby brown eyes.

Brandon looked down at her, his irritation simmering down at the innocence in her eyes. He sighed, fighting off the smile that threatened to break his exterior. _Of course,_ she has to be _so_ immaturely lovable that would just boil his heated persona right down to nonexistence. "If you're like this just into a week of paperwork, I'm gonna have to build an ice-cream factory for you," he teased with a hand on his hip, drumming his fingers on the chair he had been leaning on.

She looked up at him with horror before letting out a moan of exhaustion. "Someone just kill me now," she groaned.

Unable to resist any longer, he laughed before his hand reached up to comb through her straightened hair, gently detangling the stubborn knots. "The hell happened to you anyway?" he shook his head with a small smile, continuing to set her strands back in place.

"I've been stuck with those old guys since morning," Stella tiredly replied, raking her own fingers through her hair. "I'm ready to call it a day."

He nodded. "But I'm not. Fix yourself up and head home. I'm kind of a little busy, Stell," he said before giving her a little peck. He sat in his desk once more before picking up his abandoned pen and resuming his assignment.

"Busy? Even for lunch?" she asked in confusion before tossing her watch a quick glance. _5:42 PM._ Oh. "A late lunch then?" she sheepishly asked. "Or an early dinner?"

Brandon stopped writing for a moment. He froze in place, his calm, serene demeanor suddenly nowhere to be found as he stared at her. "…Stella. Tell me your last meal wasn't this morning," he demanded.

No nicknames? _Uh oh._ He's mad. She knew how stringent he was about skipping meals. Intentionally or unintentionally. "…Um. No," she lied, shaking her head with an embarrassed grin.

Seeing right through her, he slammed his pen on the desk, officially pissed at her. He crossed his arms and leaned back against his chair before glaring at her.

"That look tells me you're angry," Stella stated dumbly. _Well, thanks for the info, Ms. Obvious._

"…You think?" he calmly asked, but she can tell he was furious. He looks like the type to stay calm during an earthquake or a tsunami, but he's the kind to freak out over skipped meals. _What an irony._ "Sit over there and order something right now," he said coldly before pointing to the couch in front of him. "I'll deal with you when we get home."

Stella stared at the empty couch before turning to him. "Are you really that mad? It wasn't on purpose!" she protested.

He ignored her as he continued to write.

She poked him in the shoulder. "Brandon…please stop treating me like I'm a child," she said with a weary sigh.

"Then don't act like one," he retorted. "Act your age and I wouldn't have to worry about you," he said, continuing to write.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, offended.

Brandon took a deep breath before standing up. His eyes softened slightly as he gently grasped her chin to face him. "…I don't like seeing you neglect yourself. It's that simple," he said. "I care about you, Stella. But I'm occupied most of the time with all this," he gestured to the table, sighing at the documents, files, and folders that called for his attention. "I don't want to worry about you especially when I'm not in a position to physically be with you," he scolded, knowing that was his biggest fear. The only way he'll be able to work in peace is if she was okay. "So, please. Don't fight with me on this, okay?"

"…Okay," she nodded with an apologetic smile on his lips. She mouthed a small sorry to him and he smiled back at her.

"I'll be home in an hour or two but if I'm not, then don't wait for me," he said regretfully.

Stella nodded. "See you," she said, giving him a quick peck.

He smiled and nodded before waving to her as she left.

 _Well. Back to work._

* * *

 _ **A few days later...**_

 **~ McDonald's - 11:00 AM ~**

"Really, Ben? You want us to go over this at the kids play area in McDonald's?" Stella raised an arched eyebrow as she took her seat opposite to him.

Ben let out a hearty laugh. "I figured the change of environment would be better. And you seem tired as well," he observed.

"How long is this going to take?" Stella sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration.

Getting to the point, Ben took out a stapled set of papers from his briefcase. "Your part is done. Your parents were very thorough with the will, so all of this is just a formality. I only need you to sign this," he said, sliding the papers over to her.

Stella bit her lip as she looked at the document in front of her. It pretty much states that she has acknowledged that she's been notified of the contents of the will and requires her to sign at the bottom as proof. She sighed softly as she took out a pen. As the sole heiress of the will, she didn't know if she would be able to bear the responsibility but she'll fight for it. She won't give up. She'll treasure every last bit of her parents' memories, keeping them alive in any way she can. "How long will this take? And when can I start working?"

Ben pushed his hands together before leaning in slightly. "If everything goes smoothly, the will shouldn't take more than a few months to be processed," he said kindly. "Officially, you have to wait a month or two. Unofficially, well, you're welcome to busy yourself anytime," he informed.

Stella nodded before redirecting her attention the papers. She drew in a deep breath before signing the documents. "Thank you, Ben," she said before handing the papers back to him.

He looked over once and gave her a fatherly smile, nodding.

* * *

-:-:-

* * *

 ** _One month later…_**

"Awwww, she's soooooo cute!" the girls gushed over the quite-active newborn.

Layla held the baby protectively before speaking in baby talk. "This baby is something else. She scored five aunts and five uncles the second she popped out," the dusky brunette grinned. Merry laughter followed as the newborn received attention from every adult in the room.

"You're forgetting grandparents," Heather announced with an excited squeal as she waltzed into the room like she owned the place. Lucas and two other older adults, presumably Helia's parents, followed with bright grins on their faces.

Everyone took turns holding the baby before Helia took her again. Flora smiled tiredly as Helia held his daughter in his arms, unable to tear his eyes away from his miracle.

"What's her name?" everyone asked excitedly.

Flora and Helia smiled at each other before looking at their daughter together. "Ivy," they said in unison. "Ivy Amelia Knightly."

* * *

-:-:-:-

* * *

Life went on almost beautifully at the Shields' households. Ironically, both of them. One was a work-in-progress and to be determined but another was an idyllic bliss. Regardless of that, the tensions that were infested throughout the families were temporarily assuaged by the newest addition to the family. Flora's delivery was as smooth as any normal labor could be. Her days-old daughter instantly became a celebrity between the families as they gushed over the adorable infant. It seemed as if Ivy had inherited her parents' dominant traits. She was surprisingly calm for a baby and didn't cry _that_ much but did throw a hissy fit every now and then. _Very typical._ With dark brown hairy wisps on top of her little head and with piercing navy-blue eyes from her father, it will definitely not be a surprise to see her grow up into a heart breaker.

Helia and Flora couldn't be any more obsessed about their little one as they enjoyed the newest and happy joys — as well as the annoying ones (like waking up a dozen times in the middle of the night to attend to a crying infant) — of parenthood.

On the sidelines, it was surprising Lucas that had slowly and gently broken down the news to his beloved daughter with extreme caution. Heather and Brandon had been wondering how to tell all of this. Flora wasn't stupid and she _knew_ something was off between the three of them. It wasn't until a week or so after she and Helia returned from their honeymoon and three weeks after their wedding that Lucas had personally gone to break the news down. Unlike Heather and Brandon, Flora hadn't gone off the rails. Instead, she was just so, so disappointed in her father. In no way could she think of cheating as redeemable. Not anytime soon anyway. It's easy to gain someone's trust. But it's never easy to repair broken trust.

Meanwhile, Ivy's birth changed something within Brandon. As he watched her parents practically glow from inside out, he felt his feelings go all over the place. From the day they first made love, he had made it crystal clear to Stella that he wasn't ready for children. But now, he didn't know if he could say the same thing just as strongly. He just didn't know. He was still young, wasn't he? At this age, shouldn't career be the only thing he should be thinking about? He's barely twenty-five.

Currently at home and upstairs, he leaned over the railing and peered down into the living room, silently watching Stella nuzzle into the comfort of the L-shaped sofa and read something on her laptop with interest. Looking at her, he didn't want kids for a while. He wanted to enjoy being in love with her. But thinking about Ivy, he knew he wanted a miracle that he can call his own. He knew that Stella wanted kids one day and she probably wouldn't mind (not as much as him anyway) if that were to happen any time soon.

* * *

 ** _One month after Flora's delivery…_**

 **~ Musa's and Layla's Condo – 4:00 PM ~**

The girls had gathered on a cloudy Saturday in Musa's and Layla's condo. After an initial gushing over Ivy's pictures on Flora's phone, they all lay around the living room with small smiles on their faces. Heather and Helia's mother grabbed every chance they could to spend time with the baby and were currently babysitting her back home.

"Hey, Flo," Bloom quipped as she lay on the floor leisurely with her legs bent and pulled up with one crossed over the other.

"Hmmm?" Flora responded as she spread herself across one of the couches.

"Do you know the answer to the life, universe, and everything? Now that you're a mom?"

Flora let out a small giggle as her features shifted to one of profound love. "Your child becomes your life, universe, and everything. That's the only answer, guys," she said softly, her heart pulsing with love as she thought about her darling daughter and how beautiful she was. The first time Flora held her hand, Ivy had responded with the softest pressure. At that moment it felt as if Flora's entire world was cupped into her daughter's little fist. There's no real way to explain it. Only a mother would understand that feeling.

"…That's beautiful," Layla simply smiled. "I want a daughter someday," she spoke with a dreamy sigh, imagining her future baby to have her curls.

"Me too," Bloom agreed, wondering how hers and Sky's kid might look like.

"Me three," Stella raised her hand. She personally didn't care what gender she had but she had a primal feeling that she'll have a girl one day.

"I think I want triplets," Musa snickered.

"As if one of you isn't enough already," Stella remarked, earning laughs from the girls. _Amen._

Tecna laughed along but didn't add any answer. She didn't know what she wanted in _that_ area. She had a great relationship with a dorky but adorable cute and clumsy guy who makes her laugh, and she could picture a long future with him, but she wasn't ready for children any time soon. And she didn't think Timmy was either. Whenever they talked, they always had plans for something big such as starting a business together.

"I can't believe we're all growing up," Bloom sighed solemnly.

"That's debatable when it comes to you," Musa muttered under her breath but loud enough for everyone to hear, earning a roll of eyes from the redhead and laughs from the others.

"Guys!" Bloom protested, sitting straight up and crossing her legs. "What do you all think about a road trip? Like a vacation?!"

Stella, who was laying on the floor with her back to the ceiling and her legs folded slightly backwards, tossed a glance at the redhead. "Where? And we've talked about this before. The guys won't let us go by ourselves," she chuckled, already being able to have a visceral vision of what Brandon would say.

"Girls, you know I can't go," Flora informed regrettably. She's not leaving her daughter with only one parent. Every moment was magical and deserves to be treasured because before you know it, time will whoosh past faster than your wildest dreams.

Wondering why the heck they all were even arguing, Tecna looked back and forth between them. "Uh…why can't we all just go? The guys included," she pitched.

Bloom's eyes widened. "Are you serious?" she jumped up and sat on her knees, ecstatic that at least one of them is entertaining the idea.

The other four looked at each other with looks of confusion and bewilderment. Bewildered that they're actually thinking of doing this.

Stella was the first to speak up. "…Well…I don't have to go to work for another month or so, but I'll have to ask Brandon…" she said uncertainly.

Bloom's eyes sparkled with a crazy glint. "Stell, thank you!" she gushed before tackling her into a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Stella squealed before giving a playful roll of eyes. "That's not a complete yes…" she teased, but Bloom either didn't hear it or chose to ignore it. _Heh._

"Girls?" the redhead inquired the rest.

"As long as there's alcohol, I'm in," Musa smirked before Stella and Layla shot her disapproving glares. They facepalmed and shook their heads She'll never change, will she?

"Alright, then it's settled! Tell your men to clear their schedules!" Bloom announced happily. _Finally._ She's been wanting to go on this trip for months now. Everyone will soon settle down, so before life could throw in any more responsibilities at them, it's better to live a little and celebrate a ton. And besides...Princeton was hands-down the best thing that ever happened to her. It gave her a new home. A new _family._ And she wanted to celebrate as best as she could before life gets in the way.

…

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House – 10:30 PM ~**

Stella cut off the ignition before hopping out of the car. She grabbed her purse and keys before getting out and locking the car. She went to the front door before unlocking it and stepping inside.

"Brand, I'm home!" she announced her presence, dropping her things on the table nearby before locking the door behind her.

…No response.

 _Odd._ Hmm. She didn't think he'd really be sleeping now.

She went upstairs before checking the bedroom, but it only returned empty results. "Hello?" she called out stupidly. This is ridiculous.

 _Indeed._

Just then, she felt a ping on her cellphone. Opening to read the text, her eyes flashed with understanding.

 _I'm in the study._

He was probably on a call or something. Nonetheless, she decided to pay him a visit. She went back downstairs before tiptoeing into his study. She heard muffled voices. With a small smile, she opened the door and poked her head inside. He was in his chair, listening intently to the other person on the phone. He looked up when he heard her enter and sent her a small smile in response that sent her heart fluttering. She guessed that it must be a good call then. She hopped inside before closing the door behind her.

"I don't think so, but let's wait and see," he spoke into the phone, keeping his eyes fixated on the blonde as she traveled around his desk before standing beside him. She pulled his chair back before peeking into his laptop. She sat on his lap to get a better look and saw his emails open. She breezed through them, reading the subject lines and contents inside to gauge what she'll have to do when she starts working in a few weeks.

A few minutes later, she turned to Brandon and stayed silent as he mostly listened in and said only a few words occasionally. Seeing her eyes on him, he gave her a faint smile.

"Alright. See you," he said before finally sliding the phone down to his hands to cut the call. He set the phone back on his desk before finally fixing his attention on her.

"Hi," she immediately said with a cheerful smile.

"Hey, you," he smirked. "Had a good time?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

She nodded in response. "Is that good news?" she pointed to the phone.

"That's no news actually," he said with a shrug.

"No news is good news, right?" Stella quizzed.

" _No,_ good news is good news. No news is miscommunication," he chuckled.

"Oh," she sheepishly smiled. "Do you still have to do this all night?"

He looked behind her to see the time on his laptop and saw that it was quite late already. "Nope. Done for today," he smiled up at her.

Stella nodded and looked around dumbly, not knowing what to say next.

"Is there something on your mind?" he asked, noticing her clueless eyes.

"Huh?" she mumbled.

"You just look like you have something on your mind," he repeated.

She shook her head. She didn't think it was the right time to ask Brandon about that vacation they were all discussing about earlier. He looked too dead beat. "I'm good," she said with a smile.

 _…Silence._

It seems that neither had anything more to say after that. The atmosphere was noiseless which wasn't usually the case with them unless they're sleeping. For some reason, he seemed really quiet tonight. He didn't appear tired physically, but he looked mentally beat.

Stella leaned in to kiss his forehead. "You should head to sleep," she softly said before slowly standing up.

He nodded silently before standing up as well. He shut his laptop down before turning to her once again.

Ten minutes later, he was asleep and unmoving. Stella watched him sleep, occasionally brushing his soft brown strands out of his eyes. He just never listens, does he? He's a true workaholic, choosing to spend his free time on something productive and enjoying the fruit of his actions. But every now and then, real life catches up with him and reminds him that he's only human.

Maybe…a vacation is what he needs as well. And Bloom's timing to bring this up couldn't be any more perfect.

* * *

 **~ The Following Morning – 8:00 AM ~**

The next morning, Stella decided to take matters into her hands and be the man of the house. She was determined to let her man _rest_ although she was pretty sure that word is foreign to him. She cut off all his alarms, not caring what disastrous consequences that might result in later in case he missed one of his impromptu meetings with someone important. He'll probably scare the daylights of her with his tantrum but… _eh._ It'll be worth it if he's able to cash in those few extra hours of sleep.

She hopped down the stairs early in the morning before disappearing into the kitchen to get her morning caffeine in.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Stella heard noises upstairs and automatically lit up. Brandon's awake! Mornings were also never her favorite. In fact, she hated waking up early in the morning (this will probably never change no matter what). But spending mornings especially during the weekends with _him_ is something she looked forward to every week. Waking up with a kiss on the forehead, cuddling in afterwards, drinking coffee, and eating breakfast together…what could _possibly_ be better than this?

Cooking was never once her strongest fortes and it was never her favorite thing to do in the world, but she started to enjoy the joys of it once she started living with Brandon. It's amazing how your perspective can shift and center around one person. _But he's not just anyyyy person,_ Stella goofily smiled to herself. _He's mine._

Disappearing into the kitchen, she started to make breakfast. A few minutes, she heard Brandon enter the kitchen. "Good morning," she greeted him chirpily before kissing his cheek. "Slept well?"

Her bright smile rejuvenated him as he sleepily nodded with a smile of his own. "What's for breakfast?" he asked, looking behind her.

"Pancakes," she answered before moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Is there anything else that you want?" she asked.

He suppressed a small yawn before looking down at her. There was a glow to her that he didn't quite understand. He simply shrugged, dismissing her chirpiness to her yesterday's gossip fest with the girls. Nonetheless, her energy rubbed off on him as he became more awake. He gave her a soft peck before letting her go. "No, I got it."

She watched him walk to the refrigerator and took out of a box of waffles from the freezer. Jilted, Stella gasped and gave him a look of dismay. "What are you doing?!" she protested, flying over to him.

He gave her a weird look as he stared at her. "Uh...making waffles...?" he stated like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'll do that for you!" she volunteered with high pitched enthusiasm before snatching the waffles from him, leaving him to stare at her with surprise.

Brandon looked at his hands which were still hovering midair. He watched her rip out the packaging before taking out a translucent packet. "Uh…Stell, it's just waffles. I can do them on my own," he said, giving her a weird look before reaching for them.

"No, silly. You should just go and rest. For my wonderful, wonderful husband, this is nothing!" she gushed before kissing his cheek.

He stared at her, giving her a weirder look. "Uh…okay. Thanks," he said before leaving the kitchen but not before giving her another look. Was today special by any chance? He racked his brain, trying to match today's date with an occasion. It wasn't his birthday or hers or anything related to them. Just a normal Sunday on a summery July. So…why the sudden showers of gusto on him?

* * *

"Branddooonnnnn, breakfast is readdyyyyy!" the blonde hollered as she exited the kitchen, carrying two succulent plates of scrumptiousness. She saw him in the living room, continuing binge-watching his new favorite show _Orange is the New Black_ on Netflix.

He leisurely laid on their L-shaped couch with an arm behind his head and another on his waist while his leg pulled up and leaving another stretched. The blonde set the plates on the table before poking him. "Hello!" she waved her hands in front of his face to get his attention, leaving him to clamp her hands together with his fists with an amused grin.

"You're blocking my TV, missy," he smirked before letting her go.

"Breakfast is ready," she pointed.

Brandon nodded before reaching for his plate only to stare at it in shock. "Stell, what the hell?!" he blurted, automatically reacting to the food. "I wanted breakfast, not the entire pantry!" he exclaimed, staring at the half dozen blueberry waffles, four pancakes, and at least three portions of scrambled eggs with sprinkled pepper and salt for flavor.

"You need your energy, mister," she scolded, not all seeing what was wrong with what she did.

"I can't eat all this," he incredulously said before looking at her plate where she had only moderate amounts. He moved to throw some of the waffles from his plate to hers before he remembered that she was allergic to blueberries.

"Are you really going to complain about what I so lovingly made for you?" she asked sadly, lowering her fork in dejection.

"Stell, this is too much. I can't—"

"But I woke up so early to make you this," she whined, putting on her best impression of rejection.

Brandon stared at her before sighing in defeat. "Are you kidding me?" he mumbled as he picked up his fork and knife with somewhat uncertainty. "Okay, okay, I'll eat it. But only because I love you so damn much," he grumbled before facing the TV again.

Stella's mock sadness faded, and a sly grin spread across her face as her eyes twinkled with mischief. She felt her smile grow, oblivious to him, of course, as she watched him suck up and eat.

* * *

After a stomach-bursting, unpleasant experience with breakfast, Brandon went to take a walk. Stella's affection for him this morning was just too much to savor and digest. He wondered if today was Boyfriend's Day or Husband's Day or something similar. What on earth has gotten into her? Their morning routine on a weekend (and on most weekdays too) would consist of him trying to awaken a heavily asleep blonde (the only woman ever to exist who can sleep through even a 10.0 earthquake) and get started on making breakfast while she freshens up. Today, however, the roles reversed, and not only did she wake up first, but she also managed to nearly finish cooking breakfast. Waffles weren't on today's menu but just because he reached for them earlier, she dumped half the package in his plate along with two or three servings of everything else she cooked today.

Placing his hands into his hoodie, he shook his head with a smile. She's been really cheerful today for some reason. He shrugged slightly. Well, if she's really that happy, then he didn't really have much to complain about. Well. Maybe except for her overwhelming bursts of fondness.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Brandon returned home. He opened the front door and let himself in, taking off his shoes before going into the living room.

"Hi, Brandon!" he heard his name being hollered from the living room. He went in and saw that Stella was in the same position from the last he saw her. For some reason, that made him laugh. _Lazy as ever._ Sitting cross legged, she had a Vogue magazine in her hands.

He looked at her and saw how absolutely comfy and cozy she appeared before chuckling at her hyperactive, radiating smile. Approaching her, he bent to her level. "Why're you so happy today?" he asked with a soft smile.

"Because I am," she answered cutely, making him laugh.

"There's no reason?" he enquired.

She shook her head. "Nope," she said. "I guess I woke up on the right side of bed today," she beamed.

He laughed before kissing her cheek. "I'm glad," he said, standing up.

"Where are you off to?" she asked as he walked away.

"Well, it is a weekend. Figured I'll just do laundry or something," he shrugged without turning back.

"Oh. Okay," she said before her eyes suddenly flashed with remembrance as she recalled her mission today. Work-free day for husband! "WAIT! I'll do the laundry!" she jumped out of the couch with a gasp before racing over to him.

Brandon stumbled forward as she crashed into his back brusquely.

"Stell, I got it. You can just—"

"No, let me," she smiled before kissing his cheek. "Pleaseeeee?" she pleaded, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

He found himself melting but still felt uneasy. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked hesitantly, tapping her temple with his index.

"Positive," she sang. "Now shoo," she said before scurrying off without giving him the time to reply.

"Uh…okay. Thank you. Again," he said, very well realizing that he's talking to himself. "Crazy ass," he muttered to himself before deciding to retire to his study.

* * *

After switching the washer on and dumping a few tablet detergents, Stella went back to the living room to find him again and gloat on how she can perfectly take care of the house without involving him in any way whatsoever. To her dismay, however, he wasn't where she had expected him to be. "Brandonnnn!" she called throughout the house.

"In here!" he replied back almost immediately.

Stella's ears perked up as she followed his voice only to realize that he was sitting in his study, relaxed to the end on his desk.

"What exactly are you doing?" she frowned before traveling around the desk and grabbing his arm.

He blinked at her ruffianism. _Rowdy much?_ "…Sitting quietly and minding my own business?" he answered, spooked.

"Well, not anymore!" she declared before tugging at his shirt, forcing him to stand up.

He tossed her an annoyed glare. What did she think she was doing? She's been acting weird all day and it's creeping him out. Was she possessed by a spirit or something? "Stell, are you okay?" he said, puzzled.

"Yes!"

"Then what the hell are you doing? Honestly, stop being such a pest," he said before shooing her arm off him.

"Nope," she denied, giggling. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him.

He sighed as she started to play with his hair. He realized that whatever happened with her today, she wasn't taking him seriously. She only proved his point further when she kissed his cheek, unfazed by his seriousness. "Is there something you want from me?" he finally asked.

"Mhm," she nodded.

"Okay. What is it?" he yawned, already tired despite it still being a morning.

"I don't want you to work today," she asked with big, hopeful eyes.

"I'm not. I just need to make some calls—"

"I don't want you to do that either," she interrupted.

"…" he stared at her, speechless.

She giggled at his silence.

"You're being scary," he blurted rudely.

"Scary enough to make you come back into the living room?" she giggled.

"…I don't need that long. Maybe thirty to forty minutes. And I'll—"

She didn't let him finish as she reached up on her toes to kiss him briefly.

Stunned with surprise, he stared at her. "I feel violated," he mumbled. "Okay, you've had your fun. Now _shoo,"_ he strictly said, pointing his index towards the door. Somehow being able to gain control of his senses, he gave her a steely look that told her he meant business. He started to push her out before closing the door.

"Thirty minutes?" she asked again, poking her head inside just as he was about to close the door.

"Yes. That. Thirty. Now go away. Damn," he grumbled before pushing her head out and then slamming the door quickly before she could change her mind and sneak back in.

* * *

Brandon sat in his desk and took in a huge gulp of air. He didn't realize he's been panting. He loved Stella, he really did, but sometimes, her moods are difficult to handle. Forget difficult. They were impossible to handle. He threw his head back in his chair and closed his eyes, swallowing slightly.

Screw work. His brain was too fried to even think straight, much less pay attention to anything nontrivial. "Dammit, Stell," he whispered to himself, taking a deep breath to cool himself. Her hyperactive voice kept buzzing in his ear as he thought about her, but he was no longer irritated by it. Instead…he just listened. He absentmindedly picked up a blue pen from his desk and pressed the tip of it up and down, barely listening to it as it ticked open and close. With his free hand, he quietly drummed his fingers against the dark wooden surface. He gently rotated left and right in his revolving chair. "What is she up to now?" he whispered tiredly, quietly thinking to himself with a sigh.

Before long, a fond smile graced his lips as he closed his eyes. He'll never know what she's up to. That's why she was so special to him. She was always full of surprises, her actions always unpredictable from his thoughts. Sometimes…he barely understood why on earth he loved her. If he was asked to list out the reasons as to why he loved her, the list would probably be empty for a long time. Not that he's comparing as to who's better or worse, but Stella is so different from Skylar, in terms of both looks and personality. Skylar never depended on him. He was just her partner. Her significant other. But Stella…now she _chose_ to depend on him. She shared everything with him. He also worked the most for Stella's love. She's really the naïve type to believe anything he says and would trust someone so easily. And her trust in him is the most precious thing he can ever have. Her smile is his energy, her laugh is his happiness, and her sorrow is his rainy day.

Realizing that he drifted off once more into lovesick mode, he decided to get back on track. He's been spacing out often these days. And he knew why. Their second anniversary (but the first one they'll be celebrating) is only a few weeks away and these emotions were probably triggered by that.

Anyways.

 _Back to today's agenda._ Figuring out why his blonde is mucking up to him. She's been awfully nice. She's never nice. She's the type to be lazy and make dozens of excuses in order to get away with something. _Hmm._ He stood up before heading out of his office to ask and find out. Surely, she did something dumb and was now trying to butter up to him to minimize the damage. _Well, whatever it was, it definitely worked,_ he chuckled _._

He strolled into the living room where she had the TV playing. She seemed hooked to some sappy romantic show that he had zero interest in. At the sight of him, Stella's eyes lit up and she resembled that same ball of that superfluous _oomph_ that he's been trying to tone down since morning.

"You're back already! Are you done?" she asked with bubbling excitement. A little surprised to see him before his thirty-minute deadline was up, but she was happy, nonetheless. "Do you want some coffee?" she offered, hopping off the couch.

"Hold it right there, missy," he held up his hand and put a finger to her lips, shushing her. "Alright, young lady. Fess up," he ordered, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently. He sounded very much like a principal, just about ready to toss a misbehaving student in detention. "What did you do wrong?"

Her smile faltered. "Nothing?" she asked him back in her own confusion. "Why?"

"You've been uncharacteristically nice and _very_ generous since morning. Especially with the chores."

She looked offended. "What do you mean? I always help you with chores," she pouted, poking him in the chest.

"Yeah, in once in every blue moon, you do," he rolled his eyes.

"I do not!" she scoffed. "Jeez, man, thanks for the vote of confidence," she said with an unhappy pout.

 _Guess I'll have to try a more direct approach,_ he thought of himself. But it's _SO_ hard to be mad at her when she's smiling at him like that. She looked so carefree and light that he never can have the heart to be irritated at her for reason.

Brandon cleared his throat before working up a pointed glare. He stared at her, his face turning serious. "Stella, what exactly do you think you're doing?" he asked with a stern glare. As cute as she is, her rowdy shenanigans since morning can only be tolerated with patience for so long.

At his tone, she lost her smile and faltered back immediately. She drew her feet together and looked at her toes. She fidgeted with her fingers as she let out a small huff of defeat. He suppressed yet another amused smile as he took in how cute and adorable she was as she stood there like a child who just lost her favorite candy. _No,_ he chided himself. He won't let her endearing loveliness distract him.

 _…Yet._

Seeing her so silent, he snapped his fingers to get her attention. "Hello!" he waved his hands in front of her face much like how she did before, causing her to wince. "Say something. You obviously had _so_ much to say earlier," he teased, chuckling slightly.

Stella lifted her head, giving him a wounded look. "…You just seemed so tired yesterday and I wanted to help you," she admitted in a small voice.

Realization flashed in his eyes as he reminded himself the events from this morning. An entire mountain of food, the generous offer to do laundry, and the rowdy prevention from entering his own office…it was all starting to make sense. He resisted the urge to slap his own forehead for not seeing this earlier. How could he—

"I wanted you to rest. I hate seeing you so restless and tired. I was worried," she said almost sadly. "I'm sorry I made you mad."

Now it was his turn to feel bad. He sighed softly as he cursed himself for not understanding her. He wasn't even mad at her in the first place, but now she was wounded because of him. She was visibly upset and hurt but was trying her best to not show it. "Hey, come here," he said gently before grasping her wrist and tugging her into his arms. "I wasn't mad," he shook his head, caressing her cheek gently with his thumb. "Maybe a little annoyed," he admitted, "But definitely not mad." He used her silence as an opportunity to hug her, cradling her head to his chest. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely before kissing the top of her head. "Sunshine…you not making things easier for me is one of the reasons I love you," he laughed, trying to humor her.

She hit his shoulder with an unhappy pout, leaving him to laugh. She didn't find that funny. She didn't respond to his apology either. She was so silent that he was starting to run out of options here. He thought for a moment before looking down at her.

He lifted her by her chin before leaning in closely. "Thank you," he said sincerely, touched by her efforts to do so even if she went on a bizarre, entertaining route to impress him. "Tell you what? I'll close everything and come with you. And for the rest of the day, I'll do whatever you want. Anything you want and for however long you want. Happy? Is that better?" he cajoled.

And just like that, Stella lifted her head from his chest before looking at him with a bright smile, her sad frown nowhere to be seen. In fact, one would never think she was upset to begin with. "Great. Then let's go," she said before tugging on his arm, a glowing grin on her face.

Bewildered by her sudden shift in personality and realizing that she probably just played him (and no one plays him), his jaw dropped open. She giggled as she let him go before running back into the living room. "What the hell?" he mumbled with a scoff of incredulity. _Did she just...?_ And just like that, his confusion shifted to anger when he realized she played him. Okay, now he was _officially_ MAD. "Stella, get back here!" he shouted as he chased her, her incessant giggles ringing throughout the entire mansion.

* * *

 ** _A long while later…_**

 **~ 1:30 PM ~**

The young couple lay in bed, deciding to cuddle in for a while despite it being long past lunchtime. Stella rolled on top of Brandon as she saw his amused smirk. She looked at him quietly. He raised an interested eyebrow as she appeared to be in thought. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips. _This should be fun._ Wounding his arms around her, he gently combed his fingers through her hair, untangling stubborn knots.

Stella let out a blissful sigh at how amazingly soothing that felt. Thinking of this morning's events, she buried her head into the crook of his neck and let out a small childish giggle. Her laughter was infectious as he found himself grinning like an absolute _moron._ "You know…you still haven't told me what you've been up to all day," he observed, amusement dancing in his eyes.

She groaned as she adjusted herself on top of him, making herself at home. "You were right," she answered, tapping his nose.

"Hmm?"

"I've been killing two birds with one stone. One's making you rest. Sort of."

"And the other?" he asked, playing with her bouncy locks.

"Buttering up to you," she giggled.

"For what?" he laughed, his eyes meeting her mischievous ones.

"Last night…the girls and I were just talking, and Bloom was saying something that we've been dismissing all along but now I think it could really be exciting."

"What is it?"

"You probably never heard of it but there's this thing called vacation where people go and have fun—"

His features shifted into a glare as he gave her an annoyed frown for mocking him. " _Clearly_ , you need a different definition of what buttering up means," he interrupted rudely.

She laughed at his peeved look. "It's only for a week or two."

"That's a difference of seven days. You're gonna need to be a lot more specific than that," he smirked.

"C'mon, Brandon," she whined.

He let out a cool 'tsk', not giving anything away and watching her getting riled up.

"See, I knew I was right when I told Bloom that you won't approve," the blonde sadly said, slumping against his body in dejection.

"At least you know me well enough to know that," he teased. Seeing her swim deeper in disappointment, he chuckled before cutting the joke short. "How many are coming?"

"Well, it was going to be thirteen if you had said yes, but now it's only eleven," she pouted.

"You really have no opinion of me, do you?" he chuckled.

"It's because I do that I wanted to ask you instead of taking off on my own," she mumbled, making him laugh yet again.

He shook his head with a smile. "Tell me when we're leaving, so I can call in work," he suggested, giving her a wink as he rolled them over so that he was on top. He kissed her briefly before getting up to go get dressed.

Stella stared at him dumbly before processing what he said. Why did that sound that he was saying yes? He said yes? _He really said yes?!_ She let out a victorious squeal before picking up the pillow beside her and tossing it in his face. He grunted and stood still as the pillow hit him square in the face before dropping to the floor. "Thank you!" she grinned, oblivious to the blatantly obvious annoyed glare he sent her way.

Stella rolled over before grabbing her phone and opening the girls' group chat. She saw that Layla and Nabu were already in.

 _Count us in!_

Stella shot off the text before looking back at Brandon. "Now you can't take back your words," she grinned.

He groaned. If she was this excited for something that was still in the planning stages, then this was going to be one _hell_ of a long trip. He shuddered, unable to imagine what kind of trouble she would stir up for him to clean up.

But secretly...he was looking forward to it.

* * *

Pretty soon, it was decided that the twelve friends would take a vacation, shorter than the one that Bloom envisioned, but a vacation, nonetheless.

The twelve adults and the newborn took off on a trip down a few states in the south in a peaceful little town by the ocean called _Gardenia._ It was a beautiful town with lesser population than the metro cities but, of course, that's exactly what they came here for. Some peace, rest, and relaxation.

Flora, Helia, and Ivy arrived separately while the remaining ten members carpooled between three cars. Keeping in mind that there was a newborn baby with them, the drive didn't last for too many hours.

They booked six separate cottages in a beautiful, open resort by the beach.

On the same night, the guys crashed in a single cottage, doing god-knows-what and being the hooligans that they normally are. Flora and Ivy retired early and went to sleep, both too tired from the long day. Musa, Tecna, and Layla went to get some food while Bloom and Stella sat on the large rocks by the beach, gossiping their days as usual.

The moon's brilliance shone along the horizon of the beach's shores, illuminating anyone walking close enough to them. The tides were strong tonight, creating cooler breezes than normal. The waves crashed against the rocks, reminding all living beings how beautiful, yet powerful and dangerous the ocean really is.

Brandon had stepped away from the video game tournaments with the guys and decided to take in some fresh air. But he had been unable to return ever since something even more magnetic caught his eye. He watched from the cottage he shared with the guys (and grudgingly might he add; he was supposed to be with _her_ ), leaning against the door frame, crossing his arms, and an ankle crossed over the other. The apple of his eye, the object of his affection, wasn't too far away from him in distance, but was too far away with respective to perspective.

He wondered if _this_ is what it feels like to look at a man's everything. Brandon let out an involuntary sigh as he stared at the gorgeously stunning blonde, who was busy chatting with Bloom. She wore a short, summery yellow dress that showed off her legs. Her hair, dancing gracefully to the tunes of summer winds, was out in the open with a white hibiscus flower resting near her ear.

She's truly a princess. She is a little crazy, he'll admit, but that's made his life exciting. Everything in his life up till the moment he met her was fixed. He knew exactly how his day was going to pan out but with Stella, he can never be guaranteed of a routine. That's what he looked forward to. Every day is refreshing and distinguishable from the previous ones. Each day was simply…a breath of fresh air. Each day was something new, something novel, not something punctiliously planned out.

Brandon jerked slightly and snapped out of his trance when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He saw Sky standing to him but his gaze was elsewhere. "It's great to be in love, isn't it?" the blonde-haired man prodded.

Brandon followed his sight and saw that Sky's gaze was fixated on a particular redhead with cerulean azure eyes. The brunet resumed his own stargazing, letting his eyes drift on the real star of his life. "Yes. It is," he responded quietly before giving a weird look towards Sky, a little surprised to see such amount of seriousness from him.

"I'm happy for you, man," Sky said, patting his friend's back. He knew what emotional privations Brandon had to face to get to the place he's in day and as his best friend, Sky couldn't be any happier.

"Thanks, Sky," Brandon said in gratitude, giving his friend a brotherly smile. "And I'm happy you found your happiness. Bloom is a great girl," he said meaningfully, remembering how quickly they both hit it off.

"…She is," Sky said, turning his eyes on the redhead. He met her over just a year and half ago, but he felt as if he knew her all his life. "…I'm planning to propose to her," he said silently.

Brandon's eyes flashed wide open as he sharply turned to Sky. "Dude! That's awesome!" he grinned as he congratulated his friend, patting him on the back. "Way to go, man! When?"

Sky clutched the royal blue velvet box in his pocket. He's been racking his brain for the right occasion to propose but couldn't come up with one that's anywhere close to today's date. And he didn't want to wait that long anymore. He brought this ring almost a month ago but was too nervous to pop the question. "…Is there really no time like the present?" he suddenly asked.

Brandon's eyes shot up to the roof. _Now?_ His surprise quickly wore off as a smile donned its place. _Wow._ "No. There isn't," he encouraged his best friend.

Sky's apparent nervousness became even more obvious as uncertainty flashed through his eyes. "What if I mess up?" he suddenly asked.

"Say whatever you need to say from here," Brandon said, patting his own heart. "I guarantee you won't," he encouraged positively.

"Do you think she'll say yes?" Sky asked again foolishly, his nervousness getting the best of him.

Brandon now shot him an irritated look. "If you're going to pee your pants, then just pop the question another day," he said before turning around to go do something else.

"Wait!" Sky grabbed him by the shoulder. "I'll do it," he said, taking a deep breath. This ring was getting heavier and heavier to carry each day and he knew he needed an answer before he goes nuts.

Brandon had on a victorious smirk. "Good," he said, patting his friend's back.

Sky took a deep breath. "Now? I'm doing it now?" he started to hyperventilate. "I'm doing it now. I'm doing it now."

Brandon swatted him upside the head, leaving the blonde-haired man to frown at him. "It's not that hard," he scolded.

"Easy for you to say! You had your bride handed to you on a platter!" Sky scowled, rolling his eyes.

Brandon laughed. _True._ But still. He still worked to win her hand. He of all people knew it wasn't easy. "Sky, just go for it. You love Bloom, Bloom loves you. There's no reason she'll say no to you," he said.

"You really think so?" Sky asked, a reassured, happy smile widening on his face.

"Yes!" Brandon replied, exasperated. "Now go!" he said, pushing him.

Sky resisted before asking Brandon to take Stella away so Bloom would be alone. Brandon sighed outwardly but grinned like a lunatic on the inside. _Finally!_ At least now he has an excuse to go over there! He shook his head before making his move. He sounds like he's trying to ask Stella out on a date for the first time ever. But it is true what Sky said. Brandon wistfully sighed. Stella really did come to him on a silver platter. In a strange way, their marriage was one of the biggest contributors in their relationship.

Approaching the chatting girls, Brandon cleared his throat to get their attention. "Bloom, do you mind if I borrow Stella for a sec?" he asked with a smile.

Stella looked at him curiously.

"Nope. She's all yours," Bloom smirked, elbowing the blonde, much to the latter's annoyance.

"So, I don't get a say in—" she started to lecture both of them that she's not a property before Brandon grabbed her arm and dragged her away with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, ignoring her rant.

"Wait, where are you taking me?" the blonde fired off her questions.

Brandon slowed his pace before he nudged her to walk. "Let's take a walk," he suggested before his arm snuggly wrapped itself around her waist.

"O-kay?" she said, following him as he took the lead. "What was so important that you had to disturb us?" she asked, poking a finger into his chest.

He raised an eyebrow, plastering a face of mock offense. "What "important" thing were you two talking about that you had to ask this question?" he asked.

"Touché," she mumbled. "Girl code. We never tell," she giggled, earning her a roll of his eyes. "What time is it?" she asked.

"You don't have your phone?" he asked, taking his phone out. "Ten-thirty."

"I left it in our room," she shrugged. She didn't have pockets in her dress. Besides, on a nice night like this, she'd rather spend her time with him or the others than tech.

Brandon's hand gently tightened around her waist as he casually walked along with her. She relaxed in his hold before wounding her own arm around him. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and marveled at the way the moon illuminated her face and gifted her hair with a lustrous shine, giving it the appearance of sheer gold. Her eyes sparkled and never appeared in hue of golden hazel before. She looked absolutely beautiful as she glowed ethereally from within. The petals of the flower in her hair ruffled with the wind before slowly slipping off. He caught it as it fell from her ear before gently tucking it back in.

"It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?" she asked, watching the tides dance along the shores of the beach.

He hummed silently in agreement.

Stella's eyes lowered down to their feet as she watched them make footprints along the shoreline, only for the ocean to erase them within seconds. She looked behind them and saw that the trail they walked on only had two sets of faintly deep footprints. For some reason, that made her smile. It really was a beautiful night. She's been noticing little things that she would've nothing of from before.

But what's even more beautiful is the man beside her. He wore khaki-colored chinos that were rolled up to his knees, along with a sky-blue shirt that was plastered to his frame. With the top two buttons undone, one could see his chiseled chest and catch the glow of his tanned skin under the moonlight. A blush faintly kissed her cheeks as she sneaked a few glances at him.

"Something on your mind?" he suddenly said with a calm, quiet voice.

"No," she shook her head. It's been a while since her mind has been clear of anything. "Just…enjoying the view," she said with a tease to her tone.

He looked down at her to see her smiling slightly and realized what "view" she was talking about. He chuckled before walking ahead. "You never cease to surprise me, Solaria," he commented with a smirk playing at his lips.

"Shields," she sang, correcting him before kissing his cheek. It's now become a sort of inside joke between them to refer to her alternatively between her maiden name (wow, that made her feel so grown up already) and her married life name.

The smile on his lips widened as he grinned back at her stupidly before giving her a fleeting kiss.

* * *

 **~ The Following Morning – 5:45 AM ~**

Struggling to stand up straight so early in the morning, Stella miserably tried not to doze off. "Do I have permission to kill Bloom?" she yawned, her eyes fluttering open and close irregularly. She placed her head tiredly on Brandon's shoulder as he supported most of her weight.

Bloom had erupted out of nowhere in everyone's cottages and yelled for all of them to get up, giving little to zero respect for privacy. She currently was busy trying to get Musa out of the bed while the others stood outside. _Good luck with that,_ Stella snorted. Musa wasn't the type to listen to anyone on a good day, much less on a cranky morning.

"I'll help," Layla grumbled, yawning as she sat beside Nabu and rested her head against his shoulder before closing her eyes in absolute misery.

There were only limited chairs here, so half of them were forced to stand up.

Watching the girls rant and cook beef against Bloom, Brandon chuckled, shaking his head. _Clearly,_ last night had gone well.

He watched Stella wretchedly mumble something under her breath about what a waste of time this was and how she had way better things to do than be here before the first light of dawn. He couldn't help but laugh. Being the early riser that he naturally was, this didn't bother him too much. But listening to everyone's reactions was a great entertainment. Helia and Nabu were also early risers, but sadly for them, none of the girls cared about dawn enough to be awake to see it.

"BLOOM PETERS, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" a loud shout from inside interrupted the quiet morning.

"And here it is," Tecna crossed her arms casually, already having expected this reaction like everyone else here.

A few seconds later, Bloom burst through the doors and ran outside for her life, followed by a very angry Musa, dangling in a dark red robe and bedhead hair, accompanied by a sleepwalking, shirtless Riven in boxer shorts. Bloom yelped and hid behind Sky.

"I can't believe you're such a peeping Tom!" Musa lividly yelled, nearly pulling out her hair.

Bloom scoffed. "And I can't believe I saw something I shouldn't have!" she weakly fired back from behind Sky's back, earning a look of incredulity and amusement from a few. Riven watched the exchange, very much entertained and not all bothered by the fact that some intruder nearly saw his junk. If it was a guy that had broken in, however, now _that_ would be a different story.

"It's an f-ing bedroom, bitch, what'd you expect!?" Musa yelled, just about ready to throw a well-deserved punch right into the moron's face. The moron who disturbed her morning slumber after a _very_ eventful, bed-creaking night. She'll worry later about the fact that this moron is one of her closest friends.

Those who were awake enough to notice the hilarity started to laugh as Musa threw the redhead a fierce death glare with steam blowing out of her ears and nostrils. Trust Musa to make a hilariously serious racket at any time of day!

Seeing that everyone was here, Bloom cleared her throat and decided to carry on. "I haveeee newssss!" the redhead screeched in excitement, barely being able to stand still on her feet.

"Can't it wait till morning, Bloom?" Stella whined.

"It better be good enough or you're getting your teeth knocked out," Musa stubbornly said, crossing her arms with a huff. The rest of the girls nodded in agreement. There was simply no excuse to wake them up at a time like this no matter what the occasion is—

"Guess who's getting hitcheddddd!" Bloom sang before flashing her hand.

Instantly, the crew, especially the girls, snapped wide awake as they stared at the shimmering white rock on Bloom's left hand. "NO. FREAKING. WAY!" Stella squealed before pushing Brandon aside and running to grab Bloom's left hand. "NOOOOO!" Musa gasped, forgetting her earlier rivalry and instantly rushing to Bloom's side.

"For real?" Brandon muttered in complete annoyance as he got up and dusted himself off.

Sky laughed from beside him. "That's girls for you," he chuckled, patting his back.

Brandon rolled his eyes before giving him a smirk. "Guess someone did have the guts to pull it off after all."

"Well, if it weren't for his best friend, I don't think it would've been possible at her," Sky chuckled.

Brandon laughed and shook his head before elbowing his friend. "I'm happy for you," he said as the guys joined into a circle and congratulated Sky while the girls preoccupied themselves with the ring.

"When's the party? Where's the booze?" Riven smirked.

Helia shot him a disapproving frown before swatting him upside the head, causing others to laugh and Riven to glare.

"So, who's next?" Nabu grinned.

"Not me," Riven grumbled.

"Musa will love that reply," Nabu snorted, raising an incredulous eyebrow.

"I respect my woman's decisions," Riven smirked in satisfaction before everyone tossed him a look. "…Sometimes," he corrected himself, a rare, un-Riven thing to do. Tonight's occasion must've damaged his normal brain cells and turned him into the opposite, which was being nice. "But I'll wait until she's ready and propose to _me_ on her own," Riven smirked with a grin of satisfaction in his eyes.

Sky and Brandon blandly looked at each other before facepalming. Helia and Nabu sighed in despair before shaking their heads. Riven is a hopeless fool sometimes. _But one's gotta appreciate his creativity._

* * *

The trip lasted about ten days. The girls went shopping, using Bloom's and Sky's engagement as an excuse to max out credit cards. The guys did the more "manly" things such as full-on adventure sports like jet skiing, water skiing, hiking, trekking, etc. Amusement parks, food, pool, spa, beach, shopping, more shopping… _nothing_ was left untouched.

By the time everyone returned, they were in a better shape than before they left (well, that _is_ the point of a vacation).

Bloom's thirst for a spontaneous group trip was finally satiated. Not only did she make plenty of memories with her friends, she also received the best gift she could ever ask for. She didn't need fancy roses or chocolates or candlelit dinners to make the proposal special. Sky's proposal to her on her a bright moonlit night by the ocean and the way he recited his love for her as he bent down on one knee and asked for her hand was the best thing that can ever happen to her. And what better way to celebrate that than enjoying her moments with her friends and family?

The newly engaged couple announced their happiness by throwing yet another party at home. They practically stole the spotlight as their faces glowed with happiness. It only made the parents all the more nostalgic as they collectively witnessed their children slowly settling with their significant others, reminding them of themselves twenty to thirty years ago.

* * *

 ** _A few days later…_**

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House – Master Bedroom – 8:10 AM ~**

It's officially been a little over a week or so since the gang returned from their trip to Gardenia. After resting for a day or two from the aftermath of the travel, Brandon spared no time and immediately went back to work. He's been working overtime ever since and barely returned home in time to see Stella awake. Despite being more than tempted to call it a night and sleep in his office, he always returned home even though he called Stella way ahead of time and told her not to wait up for him. The weekend soon hit, and he couldn't be any more relieved.

To his surprise, Stella was already up by the time he opened his eyes, so that was a pleasant welcome. "Stell?!" he called out from upstairs, wondering where she was and what she was up to.

"Try the kitchen!" Stella hollered from downstairs.

He chuckled before descending downstairs and entering the kitchen where the blonde had laid out a bunch of integrants for breakfast.

"Morning," she smiled as she saw him enter.

He gave her a mock salute before standing next to her, wondering what she was making. She had a cutting board before her and was busy chopping carrots with a knife.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be with you all week," he sighed, leaning back against the countertop.

"It's fine," she smiled, stealing a quick kiss from him. "I was surprised you even bothered to return home," she laughed.

"I wouldn't have if you weren't here," he admitted before moving towards her and gently taking the knife from her. She looked towards him as he took the cutting board, along with the vegetables, half of them which were already diced. She shrugged before moving towards the stove while he took care of seasoning the ingredients.

"So, is everything good at the office?"

"Yup," he hummed. "I'm surprised you haven't said a peep about it though." They were normally at each other's throats about Brandon's occasionally irregular schedules.

"You weren't home long enough for us to have a normal conversation, let alone a whole argument," she said.

He chuckled at her answer. That was true. Despite them fighting about the time commitments his job demanded, it didn't bother him so much because he knew the underlying reason that Stella never liked his job. He didn't sleep much, i.e., he didn't always cash in the traditional seven hours of sleep that doctors recommend. And he was fine with it. In his opinion, he wasn't really that much of a workaholic. He slept in on the weekends and even on some weekdays too if he had the mornings off.

"…What if I told you that I have to go again in a few hours?" he quietly asked.

Stella let out a small sigh of exasperation. "And there it is again," she grumbled before turning to him with a glare on her face. "Brandon, I get that you're the CEO, but this is just ridiculous," Stella protested. "Is it really that bad to want to spend a nice and quiet weekend with the man that I love?" she asked, tired of this back-and-forth and unproductive discussion.

He thought for a moment. "I just need thirty minutes. I swear. No more. No less. I forgot to pick up something last night, that's all," he said. "And then…I'm all yours," he smiled.

Stella threw him a suspicious glance. "I don't believe you," she blurted frankly.

Brandon chuckled at her honesty, expecting that reaction. He turned her towards him by her shoulders. "Okay, how about you come with me? You can stay in my room while I run a couple of errands and then we'll leave together. Sound good?" he asked hopefully.

Stella sighed. "Changing out of my pajamas was definitely not on my bucket list today," she said before relenting and caving into his request.

The grin in his eyes was impossible to miss. He grabbed her by the shoulders before kissing her hard but only for a few seconds. "You're the best, you know that?"

"Of course, I do. You wouldn't have married me otherwise, right?" she grinned, unable to be upset with him anymore.

He laughed in response before pulling her into a hug. "No. I wouldn't."

His grin widened as he wondered if there's any other man alive who's as happy and as lucky as he is.

 _NO._

"Love you," he smiled before cradling her head to his chest.

 _FREAKING._

He felt her frown fade and her lips curve into a smile against his shirt as she hugged him and whispered to him that she loved him as well.

 _WAY._

* * *

 ** _A few hours later…_**

 **~ Shields' Corporations – 1:30 PM ~**

"I knew it. I _knew_ I shouldn't have let you go alone," Stella entered the room with an amused smile, announcing her presence quite vocally.

Brandon looked up from his desk before catching glimpse of her and instantly slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering the time.

"Hi, Stella," Lisa smiled, waving to the blonde.

"Hey, Lisa," Stella grinned before giving her a quick hug before turning to Brandon with a pointed look on her face. "So?"

"I'm gonna go," Lisa giggled before turning to make her getaway, already quite used to Stella's spontaneous drop-ins.

"Where?!" Brandon demanded, giving her an incredulous look and silently pleading her to not leave. The second she leaves, he'd bet his life that he'll receive a long-winded lecture from none other than his lady love, not to mention being forced to see her gloat right in front of his face about how she'd always been right about him not being able to leave his desk whether it be at home or the office and doing nothing about it.

"It's lunchtime. Mama needs her food," Lisa snickered, patting her stomach before wolf-whistling her way out. Troubles in paradise are fun to watch but not at all fun to be trapped in the middle of them. She crossed her fingers, hoping that Stella can convince this man to go home. If he can go, then so can she.

As soon as Lisa left, Brandon drummed his fingers on the desk a little nervously before looking up at the amused blonde. "You promised you'll be home in thirty minutes. It's been an hour and half," Stella started off lecturing. "I can't believe you would even—"

Brandon stood up immediately before traveling around the desk. "I'm sorry I lost track of time," he said sincerely. "So, please spare me the speeches," he pleaded, putting his hands together in prayer style.

Stella cast him a small pout. "Then come home," she asked, tugging at his collar and splaying her palms across his chest. "How ridiculous is it that we've only had one meal together in ten days?" she complained.

He let out a short laugh before smiling down at her. How could he have the heart to that beautiful face? He caressed her cheek, gently swiping his thumb back and forth along her cheekbone before leaning forward to press his lips softly against her forehead. "Ten minutes. Let me wrap up," he smiled, realizing she was right. She nodded with a contented smile.

* * *

A little less than a half hour later, Brandon locked his room. He walked in the middle with Lisa and Stella on either side of him. The blonde remained quiet as he gave out instructions and talked his usual business talk. Seconds later, Lisa left while bidding a bye to them both.

"Why is Lisa working today?" Stella asked curiously as they walked down the hallway. Today being a weekend, the hallways were a little less busy than usual which is good.

"Because I am," he answered. "She's my personal secretary, so if I'm usually in the office, then so is she."

"Does she get you coffees and stuff?" she asked, scratching her head.

Brandon laughed. "Occasionally. But usually, I make my own coffee."

"Oh."

"Why? Are you jealous that someone else makes my coffee?" he smirked as he led them to the elevator.

Stella rolled her eyes. "As if I'll ever be jealous of someone else," she mumbled. _Liar,_ her subconscious started to laugh hysterically.

"Good," he smirked before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek as the elevator doors clamped shut. "Because there's no reason you should be," he chuckled.

At that, Stella felt a smile grow on her face. In all her years, she never met such a sincere and caring man who actually gave a damn about her feelings every waking moment. She didn't know why he doted on her so much because she didn't do anything to deserve such a special treatment. She only had to feel bad for one second before he somehow senses it involuntarily and makes her worries go away just like that in a flash.

They reached the ground floor within a short minute. Never paying attention to their surroundings, the couple continued to talk casually as they proceeded to exit out of the building when—

"Brandon."

Brandon turned when he heard his name being called from a few away to the left. The smile on his handsome face faded instantly when he saw the person who addressed him. It was an older man with light brown hair with strikingly icy blue eyes. _The same blue eyes he saw only in one other person._

"…Long time no see," the older man said with a faint smile. "How have you been?"

"…Ted," Brandon acknowledged quietly.

Stella cluelessly looked back and forth between them, wondering this new man was before guessing that he must be Brandon's colleague or something akin. She felt a little out of place standing in between what seemed like a dramatic staring contest. Maybe there's been some history or bad blood between them?

"…It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Brandon stared at the man before him, not knowing how to feel. Theodore "Ted" Black was none other than Skylar's father, the man who was going to be, _ironically,_ Brandon's father-in-law if things had gone well. To say that this was awkward and a little weird was an understatement.

"Yes. It has," Brandon answered neutrally. Stella couldn't tell if that was hostility or yen in his tone. Stella stood up straight when she felt his hand press into her back. "This is Stella, my wife," he introduced. For some reason, that didn't feel like a friendly introduction. It seemed as if Brandon was posing a challenge of sort. "And Stella, this is Ted Black. Skylar's father," he said neutrally without giving the blonde a glance.

Stella's eyes widened as everything suddenly started to make sense. Brandon's reason for the sudden shift in personality was now as clear as day. She couldn't read him. She couldn't tell if he was mad or not. _Tense._ Let's go with that even though he didn't seem that way either. Either way, she extended a courtesy hand. "Pleased to meet you," she smiled at him a little tightly.

Ted smiled back kindly, faintly alleviating some of Stella's stress. "Pleasure is all mine," he said. "I only heard good things about you."

Stella blinked at the compliment, wondering how on earth this man could hear any great thing from him especially if he has a daughter that has something otherwise to say about it. She sneaked a glance towards Brandon, who looked almost impassive. If he was surprised, he certainly didn't show it.

"Thank you," she answered somewhat timidly. She honestly didn't like the compliment. It just felt weird to hear it.

Before the conversation could progress any further, Brandon turned to Stella, who had a clueless, uncertain look on her face. "Could you go on without me?" he asked softly, his tone gentle and caring. He sensed nervousness from her as she slowly nodded. He sent her a small reassuring smile, silently letting her know that she has nothing to worry about.

"See you guys," Stella said before quickly flashing them a nervous smile and making a beeline out of there. Honestly, she didn't even know why but she felt her heart thud in anticipation.

Stella stopped to turn around and wasn't too surprised to see Brandon and Ted walking in the opposite direction, presumably going back to the brunet's office room to talk about we-all-know-what. "I knew a nice and quiet weekend was too much to ask for," Stella sighed to herself before looking up into the heavens and silently demanding for an explanation.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Brandon and his unexpected guest found themselves sitting in the former's office, seated opposite to each other. Brandon felt a despicable sense of déjà vu. Five months ago, he had been in the _exact_ same position with none other than Skylar. And now with her father. Now to mention both of them arriving right when he was about to go home. He sighed. It's ironic and twisted to see how things go around and come back to the exact position.

"I was a little surprised to hear you got married," Ted said, starting a conversation to break the incredibly thick uncomfortable tension.

 _So was I,_ Brandon snorted internally. His marriage with Stella wasn't exactly a love affair. It was nothing more than a promise being fulfilled.

But this felt like... _déjà vu. Again._ Skylar had said the same thing to him. Did the entire Black family expect him to stay single or something? Granted he thought the same thing initially. That he was doomed to be alone for life. But then again, he wasn't exactly the sanest guy back then.

Brandon remained quiet, his fingers quietly twiddling with his ring finger where his wedding band used to be. He and Stella hadn't given each other their wedding rings yet but he had a good reason to wait. He's been waiting for the perfect occasion to give her the ring. "We all have to settle down one day," he answered after little thought.

"You've accomplished a lot in the last few years," Ted commended, meaning every word.

"…Thank you," Brandon replied.

A quiet silence ensued before Brandon decided to break it again.

"…Why are you here, Ted?" he asked softly, asking the same question he asked the older man's daughter. "Don't get me wrong; I'm happy to see you but I can't imagine you decided to visit me all of a sudden without a reason."

Ted smiled slightly at the brunet's quick wit. "…You're right. I do have a reason to see you," he said before taking a deep breath. "I came to apologize."

Brandon's eyes dimmed. _Ahh._ So he was here to talk about what happened five years ago. But it doesn't matter anymore. The brunet was done and had dealt with it. "What happened then isn't your fault," he said, hoping to steer the conversation away.

"I know," Ted nodded. "That's not what I meant. I came to apologize for…punching your father last night."

Brandon blinked in shock before jerking forwards in his seat. _"Excuse me?!"_ he sputtered in disbelief.

"He came to my last night and we talked about…well, _history._ I didn't sync with what he said, so he went home with probably a black eye," Ted shrugged.

Brandon stared at him blankly, unable to believe what he just heard. Why was his dad at Ted's place in the first place? Where was Ted's place anyway? He's been living in New York? After the breakup, Brandon had looked everywhere. Skylar disappeared, and Ted had left the house after he learned what Helena did to him. Brandon hadn't known they were back again. What was his dad doing there anyway? Only one explanation made sense: _to apologize._ "…" Brandon remained paralyzed, not knowing what to say. "…Why are you apologizing?" he finally asked with a choked voice. "And that too, to me and not to my dad."

"Lucas doesn't deserve any apology from me," he said immediately with a biting, steely tone. "But you and my daughter do," Ted said softly, his eyes clouding with love once more.

Brandon remained quiet, his feet suddenly itching to get out of here. He wasn't comfortable with talking about this topic again. It's like going around in circles. There never seems to a straight line, where one talks about it and moves the _hell_ on.

"Why didn't you fire my daughter? Or have her arrested?"

Brandon seemed surprised by the question but even more surprised that Ted knew what she did during her time here.

Seeing the expected surprise on Brandon's face, Ted chuckled but his laugh contained little to no humor. "Yes. I found out just recently," he said.

Brandon lowered his eyes slightly. He knew why he didn't fire her. Dismissing her would've caused even more damage. Damage that he wouldn't be able to contain. "Because it would've done my family more harm than good," he replied truthfully, refusing to sugarcoat that. He's been looking for a valid reason to fire her since the day she appeared before him. And when he did find one, he was unable to get rid of her because he was too afraid of the fire spreading out of control.

"On her behalf, I apologize," Ted informed ruefully, leaning forward in his seat.

Brandon shook his head. "With all due respect, Ted, I don't want to talk about that anymore. It's done and I've dealt with it. I don't need apologies or explanations because frankly, they don't matter to me anymore. I can't forgive someone who tried to harm my wife even if that someone happens to be the woman I once loved," he stated firmly. He might've told Stella to forget the incident but in no way will he ever forget it. To ensure that something like that doesn't ever happen again, forgetting such incidents is _not_ an option.

Ted nodded slowly in understanding.

Brandon remained quiet, his eyes flickering with curiosity about something else entirely. "…How's Helena?" he asked, shifting the topic away from his once thriving but now dead love life with his ex.

The question threw Ted off track as whatever calmness that was on his face earlier now left him in a flash. "…She's not with us anymore," he said somewhat sadly. Contrary to what Brandon expected, there was no bitterness to Ted's voice. If he's mad as hell as Lucas, wouldn't he be upset at the mention of his ex-wife's name?

Brandon nodded somewhat regretfully. Yeah, he knew about the divorce. But that's really all he knew. "What about you then? Are you dating someone or…?"

"I've been seeing someone for about a year and half now," he said, nodding.

 _Oh._ "I'm happy for you, Ted. I hope it works out," Brandon said truthfully, really meaning it.

Ted nodded gratefully. "I think it will," he smiled slightly while thinking about his future with his amazing significant other.

And soon…the conversation was dead. Not that it was going anywhere to begin with. They were both just talking around in circles.

"I'm sorry that we have to meet again like this," Ted said, breaking the silence.

"Me too," Brandon sighed quietly. "But why? Why now? After five years of silence, you choose to see me now?" he asked, still confused about the purpose of this visit.

"Because…whatever happened between you and Sky in the past few months, I wanted you to know that she meant no harm. She was hurt," Ted said, his eyes flashing with sadness. His daughter had lived in anger and hurt for the last few years, using this time to build steel walls around herself, refusing to let anyone in. When confronted, she would always hang up or reply with a cold _"I'll see you later."_ Sure, she was happy on some occasions, she had time to come to terms with what happened. But her broken heart never really healed.

"I know," Brandon nodded. "She's still angry at Helen?"

Ted shook his head. "You don't understand…" he sighed. "When I said that Helen isn't with us anymore, I meant it euphemistically."

Brandon's still eyes flashed wide open as he gaped at him in disbelief. "W-What…?" he whispered in shock.

"It was eight months ago," Ted said glumly. "…Car accident," he said with a dreary shrug. His shoulders were slumped, his blue eyes turning icy pale.

Brandon continued to gape. _Helena's…dead?_ He felt his stomach grow sick and he had to push the bile down. Tears of bitterness stung his eyes. _Eight months ago…that's…that's in November,_ he calculated. Brandon shut his eyes in pain and covered his face with his hands. _November…_ He and Stella got together in December right after her exams were finished and she returned to NY for Christmas vacation. While he was happy, Skylar was grieving. _What an irony._ "Ted…I'm…I'm so sorry," Brandon softly said, his own face bearing pain. "I…I didn't know."

Ted nodded at the condolences before letting out a tired shrug. "Sky couldn't take it. She was always so angry at her mom and gave her the cold treatment, but…when Helen passed away so suddenly, Sky kept blaming herself."

Brandon quietly listened, sadness choking his own throat. And soon, he was no longer bothered by the fact that his own father got punched at twelve hours ago. "…Did she die alone?" he asked cautiously. He didn't know how the Black family dynamics are anymore.

Ted shook his head vigorously. "Helen and I…we may have gotten divorced under despicable circumstances, but we've been at a good place for about three years now. I've moved on and so did she. We remained as friends. What happened to her was just unexpected and unfortunate."

Brandon nodded, feeling a little solaced at this news. He didn't know. He hadn't thought about the Blacks since he had a ring put on his finger. His heart broke for Skylar. He knew how close she was to her mother. She always used to joke that she and Helena were the best prankster-victim duo. So…randomly showing five months ago in February wasn't a coincidence. She hadn't shown up at his door out of love. She showed up out of desperation. Desperate for someone to comfort her. The Sky that he knew…would _never_ harm anyone. He knew that if he had told her he loved someone else back then, she would've let him go. There was no selfishness to her love. There never had been any. Everything she had done suddenly flashed before him in new light. And if posed the question whether or not he forgave her… _he didn't know if he could give the same answer._

* * *

 ** _One hour later…_**

Wrapping up the conversation with Ted, Brandon left the office for real this time, no longer feeling the zeal to be productive for the rest of the day. He absentmindedly pulled into an interstate, trying to let the highway hypnosis effect calm him to an extent but it wasn't working. He didn't feel like going home either, so he drove aimlessly on the interstate at seventy miles per hour.

He took a deep breath and kept his gaze fixated on the road, the gloomily cloudy weather matching the greyish dullness in his eyes. He wondered what would've happened if he had taken Stella's advice and not gone to the office today. He sighed. "This won't do," he mumbled to himself. He held the wheel with one hand while using another to call Stella. He set the phone down before letting the car's Bluetooth function take over. He heard the phone ring through the vehicle's speakers before the blonde picked up the call.

"Hey," he spoke into the speakers, a faint smile touching his lips.

"…Hi," she replied in a small voice. Despite the call coming through the speakers, he barely heard her.

"Are you home?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.

"Since long ago," she answered simply. It's been ages.

A silence of few seconds ensued before he decided to break it. "I might be home late tonight," he stated.

She was silent for a few seconds. "Okay," she shrugged with zero retaliation to his decision.

"Don't wait up for me," he softly said.

"…Okay," she replied unquestioningly.

Her obedience was now starting to bother him, but he didn't know what to say yet. "I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah. Sure," Stella replied dully.

Neither cut the dry call. Brandon could only imagine what she must look like right now. She must be full of questions like the curious cat that she was. "Stell?" he spoke softly.

"I'm here," she replied, hanging onto the call.

"I love you," he stated sincerely. "I'll come home and tell you, okay?" he softly said, hoping that would alleviate the dullness in her tone. And it worked.

Stella felt a faint smile touch her lips. "…Okay," she said into the phone, brightening up almost instantly. "I'll wait up for you, by the way," she stated with a determined, playful huff, denying his earlier request.

Brandon chuckled. "Alright. I'll see you later," he smiled before his fingers moved to cut the call. For real this time.

The car fell silent once again, the only noise being the sound of his quiet breathing. His once hazy eyes that clouded with doubt and uncertainty now saw reason and purpose. Instantly, he looked over his shoulder a few times to cut to the rightmost lane before finally taking the nearby exit and turning back around.

Now on his way back to the city, he picked up his phone before dialing Lisa's number. His fingers hovered over the dial button but found themselves unable to actually press it. A soft sigh left his lips before he went over to Stella's contact again and dialed her number once more.

She answered pretty quickly this time. "Twice in five minutes? I'm flattered," she smiled into the phone, her voice more cheerful than the earlier phone call.

He smiled before it faded away slowly in seconds. "Sunshine…do you trust me, baby?" he asked softly, getting right to the point.

"What?" she sounded jilted, wondering why on earth he was asking her that now.

"No matter what I do…no matter where I go…would you trust me on it?" Brandon asked.

Stella fell silent for a few seconds, trying to comprehend the question. She gripped the phone firmly in her hands, frowning at his question. Where was he going? Why did he sound so down? What happened at the office? What did that Teddy guy say? She was full of so many questions.

"Stel?" he addressed her, waiting for her response and bringing her back to the face of reality.

"I'm here," she said. She took a deep breath. Regardless of how many questions she had, her answer remained the same. It always has since the moment she met him. "I trust you," she said firmly. She never really knew him as a liar. The guy can probably lie if he wants to, but he doesn't. Brandon has always been an honest man and that's one of the biggest reasons she loved him. She knew she could always count on him. "…Even if I don't end liking your decisions…I'm sure you have a good reason to do what you're about to do," she said. Clearly, the matter is about Skylar. She'll always be wary of Skylar and that won't change any time soon. "...I trust your words and I trust your actions. I trust _you,_ Brandon," she softly said.

Brandon listened to her attentively before a smile shined through his eyes at her words and especially at the way she breathlessly said his name at the end. "...Thank you, Stell," he quietly said. A silence of few seconds occurred. "You're the best, you know that?"

"Actually…I do," she giggled, assuaging some of the tension in the air.

He chuckled. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay," she chirped before moving to cut the call.

"Oh and Stell?"

She stopped before putting the phone back in her ear. "Yeah?"

"Wait up for me," he said softly into the phone before cutting the call a second later.

Stella looked at her phone before a soft smile widened on her lips. She felt her cheeks redden for some reason before she smiled harder. "You got it," she whispered with a smile. She chuckled to herself before carrying on about her day.

* * *

Meanwhile, Brandon dialed Lisa's number once more.

"Hey, Brandon, what's up?" she answered.

"I need an address and phone number," he asked her somewhat tentatively.

Ten minutes later, he stared at the contact information that blinked back at him with daunting eyes. He gawked at the text that Lisa had sent him a minute or two ago, wondering if he should indeed take the step forward. Brandon took a deep breath, a flicker of hesitation passing through his eyes. Should he or shouldn't he…? After much debating, he finally summoned a courageous heart to initiate contact.

He dialed the number. Now there's really no going back. His breath hitched in anticipation when the recipient picked up the call. "…Are you still in New York?" Brandon listened for the response before speaking again. "Can we meet once?"

* * *

Parking the car in the basement of the apartment building, Brandon hopped out before locking the vehicle. Being right in the heart of the city, the building reeked with classy opulence. He gauged the building before him for a moment before taking a deep breath and going inside. He took the elevator straight to the tenth floor, his impatience getting the best of him as people cramped inside, all of them in a hurry to go home.

He stepped out and frowned at the anxiety that gripped his heart. He watched out for his destination as he kept his eyes to the left. _1101…1103…1105..._ he stopped before the apartment number before tentatively ringing the doorbell. His fists clenched and unclenched in anticipation and growing unease. He had half a mind to just ditch this entire idea and hightail the hell out of there.

The door opened almost immediately, revealing none other than Skylar in a casual white tee and denim shorts with her hair pulled up into a high ponytail.

Their eyes locked for a brief moment. Skylar stared, unable to believe that he's really here. She thought maybe it's a joke or something, but no. He's really here in the flesh. "Come in," she said a little timidly, inviting him in.

Brandon pursed his lips together into a thin line before entering the place with a stiff expression on his face. She closed the door but didn't lock it as they went in the loft.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked casually, keeping her emotions in check. It's been three months since she last saw him. _Three whole months._ The last time she talked to him, he pretty much threatened her to leave him alone. Seeing him so angry and so disappointed at her…she couldn't summon the will to approach him again. But when he had called her earlier to ask if she wanted to meet (as if he ever needed her permission in the first place), her heart had nearly dropped out of her chest. She choked on her own breath in disbelief, unwilling to believe that he really called her, especially when he's the one who told her to leave in the first place. But here is again for…something. She didn't know for what, but she'd be lying if she said she cared about the reason.

"Uh…no," he said, shaking his head. "Thanks."

"Sit," she offered before gesturing him to the couches, trying to free some of the tension.

Brandon preferred to stand, refusing to make himself at home. He looked around. The loft was beautiful and quite modern too. Heh, what did he expect? This was right in the core of the city.

Skylar, seeing him just stand there, didn't sit as well. Brandon decided to just get right to the point. "Sky…why didn't you tell me about Helen?" he asked softly.

Skylar's eyes widened, wondering how he could possibly know that. Surely, he didn't do any research on her. Not after what he said the last time that she saw him.

"Your father," he shrugged simply, giving her the answer that her eyes searched for. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked sympathetically.

Skylar's stance hardened as she listened to him speak. She could barely contain the bottled up emotions from bursting open but she had to for her own sake and sanity. He can't know. He can't know the storms her heart voyages through _every. damn. day._ She had way too much pride to let him on that. She didn't need his sympathy or pity.

He sighed at her silence. "You had so much to say all those months but you never—"

"Because it doesn't matter," Skylar said coldly, interrupting him firmly. Brandon stared at her, unable to believe that she actually said that. How could she say that? It's her own _mother!_ "She's dead, Brandon. Nothing I say or do…" she involuntarily trailed off as she panted, and Brandon watched her eyes glisten with angry, frustrated tears. Skylar composed herself once more, but Brandon could already see she was fueling herself on counterfeit strength. "Nothing I say or do will bring her back," she said with an icy glare.

His eyes softened at the way she tried to mask her hurt, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Why would she try to? He could tell she was angry. Angry at the world. Angry at herself. And anger isn't an emotion that should be suppressed. "Sky…Helen was your mom. It's okay to—" Brandon tried to comfort her, but she didn't let him.

"Yeah, well, she should've thought of that when she forgot she had a daughter and had gone to heaven instead," Skylar bitterly spoke.

"Are you kidding?" Brandon snapped suddenly, angered at her impudence. He sighed because he knew the consequences that would come when words are said out of anger and hate. "Don't say something you can't take back," he warned.

Skylar stared at him, stunned by his enraged eyes, before her eyes lowered down to the floor. _Take back?_ She scoffed, blinking back tears. "Take back?" she whispered, an icy cold tear falling down her cheek. _TAKE BACK?_ "Take back?!" she snapped, her voice rising. "Why should I?!" she screamed before pushing him back firmly with her hands pressed to his chest. "Everyone I ever loved always leaves me, so why should I take _anything_ back?!" she protested angrily. Hot, angry tears cascaded down her cheeks as she glared him with ice-cold, piercing blue eyes. She didn't know where to direct her anger. She didn't how to channel it. All she knew was to immaturely unleash it on whoever is closest to her. That's all she knew.

Skylar's eyes blinked with angry tears. "She only cares about herself. Why else would she go?!" she screamed in defiance. "If she thought about me even _once,_ she wouldn't have gone driving that night!" The noirette panted with difficulty as her breathing accelerated.

Unable to watch her struggle with herself, Brandon tugged on her wrists before pulling her into a gentle, yet firm hug. Skylar squeaked in surprise and gasped loudly at the embrace, standing completely still like a statue. He dismissed her surprise and shock with a soft sigh. "You haven't changed one bit," he said quietly. "I've told you this before and I'm telling you this again. It's _okay_ to cry, Sky," he said gently, tears framing his own eyes at her pain. "You're allowed to."

At his gentle words, Skylar's eyes sizzled with fresh, coarse tears as they rolled down, burning her cheeks with warmth. She wondered why he even cared, why his heart still wanted to let her see reason. She didn't know and right now, she couldn't care less. "…She doesn't love me enough, Brandon," she whispered, trembling sorrowfully as a sob left her lips. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have left. She wouldn't have gotten into that car, she wouldn't have gotten hit by that drunk driver, she wouldn't have wrapped her head around a tree, she wouldn't have…" Skylar tried to formulate a coherent sentence but her words transformed into tears, letting him see her real feelings. "She wouldn't have let my last memory of her as…" she tried again with a thick, choked voice but failed miserably. "...I can't remember her without those ugly tubes and monitors," she sobbed.

"Stop," he gently said, refusing to let her blame her mother. "No matter what happened, no matter how you treated her or how many times you two fought, Helen loved you. She loved you, dammit," he said, rubbing her back in comfort.

She cried in his arms, mourning for her late mother. "She died thinking I hated her," she sniffled, hating herself. "She left me thinking I didn't love her anymore!"

"No," he softly said before pulling back and holding her at arm's length. "She died thinking how amazing and remarkably talented her daughter is. She died wishing that her daughter would find her happiness one day," he said seriously, leaving her to gape at his kind words. "She would've never wanted you to remember her as a bitter memory. She wanted you to be happy. What happened then…it was a mistake, Sky. A really huge and unforgettable mistake. But we can't hold that against them forever. Our parents are happy today, Sky. They've at least accepted it. It's about time we did too."

Skylar remained quiet as he let her go. She crossed her arms, wiping her tears with one hand.

"...Helen's not the only one who wants you to be happy," Brandon hinted gently. "...Find your happiness, Sky," he whispered. "Please. I want you to be happy. I want you to have a good life," he asked, pleading. "Consider this my last request from you."

Skylar gave him a long, hard, regretful look and wondered how she missed such an amazing, unselfish, and caring man. She wondered. She wondered what would've happened if the last few years didn't exist. What would've happened if she had looked back at least _once._ She would've been happy, right? Her heart broke at the what-if questions she's been left with. She would never have a chance to get answers for them. "Can you answer this for me?" she asked, biting her lip slightly. "Do you think we would've lasted if I hadn't left?" she asked a little breathlessly, her eyes searching for an answer in anticipation.

Brandon sighed before raking a hand through his hair. "Skylar…please—" he started to protest.

"Please," she pleaded. "I need an answer…to move on like you said," she whispered weakly. "Please."

"…The twenty-year-old me would've definitely said yes. Undoubtedly. But…looking back from today, I can't imagine my life without Stella. I just can't. You're my past but she's my present and my future. I'll never let that change," he said gently but firmly. "Please understand."

At his determination and resolve in his answer, a few more tears slipped down her cheeks before she turned the other way briefly and nodded, quickly clearing her face again. "Thank you," she sniffled, looking up at him with yearning. "…She's lucky to have you," she stated.

"…I'm the lucky one actually," he denied her claim, shaking his head. He took a deep breath, finishing what he originally came here to say. "Be happy, Sky. That's all I've ever wanted for you," he said sincerely.

Skylar watched him as he prepped himself to leave. The visit, barely lasting a few minutes, has quickly come to an end.

"Take care of yourself," he wished with a gentle sigh before giving her a little pat on the shoulder.

Skylar wordlessly followed him to the door as he silently told her that he had to leave. _Be happy._ That's what he told her. To move on. To build and start a fresh life from scratch. "Hey, um...Brandon?" she addressed him.

He raised his head in question before she told him for a moment before disappearing into the loft and then reappearing a minute later with a white, sealed envelope wedged between her fingers. She handed it to him with a sad sigh, tempted to take it back. But...he was right. She's been in a cave for far too long and it's time for her to let go. And no matter how painful it's going to be, this time, she was willing to try.

"...What is it...?" he asked as he took it cautiously.

"My letter of resignation," she replied with a faint, heartbroken smile.

Brandon's eyes widened as he stared at the envelope in his hands. "...You're leaving?" he asked, looking up at her with surprise. He felt his heart ooze sadness at that prospect.

Skylar sighed deeply before nodding. "I want to be happy too," she sniffled, her eyes producing new tears. She can't stay here for a while knowing that all he'll ever see her as is an extinguished, burned out flame.

Brandon's eyes glazed over with emotion but he didn't protest anymore. He nodded in understanding, telling that that he wished she found what she was looking was. He put his shoes on and turned to leave before she stopped him once again. He gasped in shock when she stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, leaving her lips there for only a fleeting second. "I'm sorry," she said with a deeply apologetic sniffle. "And...thank you," she stated with gratitude.

With yet another sigh, he nodded before giving her a gentle side hug, silently telling her that he didn't have any bitterness left in his heart for what she did. Skylar closed her eyes, shedding her final tears as she hugged him tightly for probably the last time for a long while. "Goodbye, Sky," he said softly. "Take care of yourself."

And with that, he left.

Skylar watched him go down the corridor to the end of the hall before pressing summoning the elevator to go down. Their eyes locked one more time, but only for a few seconds as the doors shut close, sealing them both of them into two different roads.

 _Fate._

She left him once and now fate has shifted that right back around, leaving her to watch him walk away with another woman by his arm. Skylar looked at her hands, defeated. This was her own doing. A few tears rained down her cheeks as she was forced to admit defeat one more time. But she was grateful. She was grateful for this chat despite it tore her up even more from within.

Since her mother died, she had talked to no one. _No one._ But Brandon was the first and only person she had ever opened up to. He always had an amazing sense to understand exactly what others were feeling. He's really a rare find. A real gem that can never be replaced.

Despite being forlorn, she found one thing from today.

 _The one thing she's been searching desperately for all these years like a madwoman storming through a never-ending, fruitless rampage._

Grief-stricken and crushed, she gave the elevator one more longing glance. Her tears finally flowed freely as she went back inside and closed the door behind her before sliding down to the floor and resting her back against the door frame.

 _A very faint hint of a flame of hope burned in her heart as she finally realized that her future hasn't hit a roadblock._

Her glistening eyes and the sticky tear stains remained as she dove into deep thought.

 _Instead, a new gateway opened, releasing a flood of opportunities for her to make at least one of them a part of her future. Because today…today, her strained efforts finally bore fruit as she found what she wanted._

"Goodbye, Brandon," she whispered, her voice heard by no one but her.

 _Closure._

* * *

 ** _Hours later…_**

 **~ Lucas's House - 6:50 PM ~**

After leaving Skylar's residence, Brandon aimlessly roamed around for a couple of hours before contemplating to go visit his father. He parked the car at his dad's new place before hastily getting out. Concern and hurt pooled in his eyes each time he remembered the humiliation his dad must've gone through when he apologized to Ted. It was the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean it won't leave bruises behind. The brunet rang the doorbell, hoping against hope that Ted was just lying and that Lucas wasn't really punched.

The door was soon opened slowly before Lucas appeared with weary eyes. Brandon faltered immediately at the condition his father was in. His heart broke at the black eye and purple cheek Lucas had. Ted wasn't kidding.

Lucas's eyes widened when he saw Brandon and immediately shifted his face to one side, hiding the injured part away from his son.

Brandon stepped inside the house. "…You don't have to hide, Dad…I know," he softly said with concern.

Lucas let out a weary sigh. "What are you doing here, son?" he asked. "…I deserve this," he said with a shrug, gesturing to his face.

"…That doesn't mean it won't hurt," Brandon retorted quietly. Sometimes, the right thing to do is the most painful one.

"I should've done it a long time ago," Lucas said, closing the front door loosely.

"What did he say?" Brandon asked, putting his hands into his pockets and leaning against the wall behind him with his ankle crossed over the other.

"Nothing I didn't deserve," Lucas shrugged.

Brandon sighed. He could only imagine what colorful dialogues must've been exchanged. Ted expressed a lot of resentment for what happened even though it happened years ago _and_ he happened to be seeing someone else right now. Though it's expected. "You know what happened too...? With Helen?" the brunet asked wistfully. Of course Lucas would know that. Ted wouldn't have missed an opportunity to make the former feel even more shitty.

"Yeah. I do," Lucas sighed.

"Does Mom know?"

"...I haven't talked to her recently," Lucas shrugged. "Or to anyone really..."

Brandon lowered his head in guilt. Sometimes, he wondered if his dad confessing was the right thing to do. It broke up this family. Now, because of this, Lucas felt too guilty to show his face and voluntarily alienated himself from the family. The last time Brandon saw a smile on his father's face was when Ivy was born. The truth really does hurt whether it's concealed or opened.

"You should go," Lucas suddenly said.

Brandon looked at him expectantly but didn't budge. He looked around before going into the kitchen and returned a short while later with a makeshift ice pack in his hands. He simply stuffed a few ice cubes into a thick washcloth. He went to Lucas and forced him to sit down before icing the blatant injury. "If you want me to go, at least take care of yourself," the brunet frowned deeply.

Lucas sat quietly, wondering why his son even cared to do this right now. A long pause ensued before he opened his mouth again. "...How?" he whispered, catching Brandon's attention again. "How were you able to stand in my shoes for all these years?"

Brandon remained silent because there's no real answer for that. He wasn't able to do it. The smile on his mother's face stopped him so many times from confessing. And besides...he was more interested in waiting. Waiting for someone who left him.

"You've hated me all these years..." Lucas murmured in guilt, now realizing what a dear mistake he made. Maybe even too big to repent. "I've only recently realized how much..." he said, his voice falling into a dull whisper.

Brandon remained silent as he watched penitence practically radiate from his father. The brunet sighed to himself. _Why?_ Why was everyone doing this? He was tired to talk about the same topic _over_ and _over_ again. It's ridiculous. How many times should he prove that he's over it? Is this some kind of test that karma is playing at?

Lucas's eyes glistened as they continued to meet with his son's concerned ones.

"I've forgiven you the moment you confessed," the brunet said, earning widened eyes from his dad. "...There's nothing for me to hate or be angry at, Dad," he admitted truthfully. "So, get the _hell_ up, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and start taking care of yourself, dammit," he protested, referring to the visible injuries. "You're one bruise away from dislocating your face, so... _G_ _et. Up,"_ he ordered.

Lucas shed invisible tears at those words before standing up slowly. He wondered when his son grew up so fast. "I'm sorry, son," he said in an apologetic whisper before placing an arm on the former's shoulder.

Brandon stood in silence for a moment as he observed the forlorn expression. Blessed with great genes, his parents had always looked years younger than their actual age. They were that happy. But recently, it seemed as if they lost all the youth in their hearts. Without hesitating, Brandon went to hug his father, the first embrace given to him in _years._ Lucas seemed surprised by that action but soon, his eyes flooded with tears. His muscles sagged as he relaxed against his son's hold and held him for dear life.

"I forgive you, Dad," Brandon said. "And...I love you. You're my dad. I'll always love you."

Lucas felt a tear slide down his cheek as he heard those words.

 _Forgiveness..._

"Come back to work, Dad," Brandon asked, closing his eyes. "Please."

 _...Acceptance..._

"I submitted my letter of resignation though," Lucas stated.

Brandon snorted. "Really, Dad?" he gave Lucas a dry look. "Are you kidding me?"

 _...And finally..._

Lucas let out a short laugh, one of the first signs of _genuine_ happiness in days.

 _Closure._

* * *

An hour later, Brandon bid a bye to Lucas before leaving the residence. Driving along the road, he pursed his lips together as he sat in his car, debating whether or not to tell his mom.

 _"I want you to promise me that you'll always tell me the truth. Always. No matter how much it hurts and no matter how painful it is."_

Her words echoed in his ears and without delay, he decided to call his mom to let her check up on his father. He felt that she'd handle the situation better than he ever could. Besides, who knows? Maybe this will amend some of the tough spots for both of them.

She immediately went into a hysteria after learning the news of both Helena's demise and Ted's surprise visit. Before he could even say anything, she told him that she'd race over to Lucas right away, leaving Brandon to re-wonder if his parents were really going to split.

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's Home – 8:15 PM ~**

That night, Brandon returned home earlier than he originally thought. He felt a little weary and tired from the long day and was more than ready to call it a night and ditch these formal threads and slip into something comfortable. He pressed the doorbell, anxious to see his beautiful blonde and whisper nothing but sweet things to her for turning his life around for the better. He sighed when he heard only silence even after hitting the doorbell twice.

The only way she can't hear the noise if she's sleeping or she's showering, both events having equal probability regardless of the time. He sighed before fishing out the keys from his bag and inserting them to open the door. He closed the front door behind him and leaned his back against it, releasing the breath he didn't realize he's been holding. He felt as if he stepped into a safe haven, leaving all the terrifying, ugly demons outside and behind this door.

"Stell?" he called out.

 _No response._

"Don't tell me she went out," he mumbled, irritation seeping into his voice.

He took his shoes off before loosening the tie around his neck. He left his bag inside his study before going upstairs, leisurely taking one step at a time. He wasn't in a rush to do anything. He entered the master bedroom only to hear the shower running. _Ahh._ She was showering. He smiled to himself, relieved. With a small sigh, he went over to his closet to grab a set of clothes and go to another bathroom to shower. He went over to his side before opening the drawers when something cold and metallic touched his toe, scraping it slightly.

Brandon looked down casually to see what it is when he saw hints of a familiar black box wedged between the folds of his clothes. His eyes softened as he bent down and pushed his clothes aside to pull it out. He pulled it into his lap, barely realizing how he sat on the carpeted floor, backing himself up against a wall.

Opening the box, he saw the diamond ring resting quietly inside the burgundy-crimson velvet casing. Setting the box down, he took the ring before absentmindedly twirling it between his fingers with a soft, rested sigh. A sad sigh escaped his lips as he mourned for Helena's death.

Why is life so complicated? So…twisted? Why do some people appear in your life and make you care for them so much, but they end up leaving you without a warning? A puzzling dogma indeed but with no convincing answer. Life is really such a multiplexed conundrum that no one has yet provided an answer to. People come into your lives without warning and leave just like that too. Gone. In a flash. Never to be seen again _until_ you forget about them. And then, one fine day, they pop back into your lives for a fleeting moment only to remind you of your demons and fears from the past. Why do people leave?

Isn't there _anyone_ who is willing to stay?

He jumped slightly in startlement when he heard the bathroom door abruptly open and Stella step outside. He could hear her softly singing a tune from her one of her favorite songs. _There is someone who will stay,_ he answered his own unvoiced question. _Her._ His sweet ray of sunshine, his best friend, his love, his wife, his _everything._ He had no words to amount the love his heart burned for her and he never will. Loving her with every fiber of his being and with every breath he consumed was definitely the _best_ decision of his life.

Meanwhile, Stella raked a loose hand through her wet strands and tightened the towel on her body before skipping over to the closet to get dressed. "Ahhhh!" She screeched and nearly jumped out of her skin in fright when she saw Brandon in front of her and that too sitting on the floor. Her heart pounded loudly against her ears, not having expected anyone in the house, much less in the closet! She clutched her racing heart and stared at him, wide-eyed and shaken.

Brandon stood up immediately in apology before rushing towards her and pulling her trembling body to himself. "Shhh, it's just me," he chuckled in humor, giving her a teasing smile.

As her fright and surprise wore off, she started to turn red with anger. "DON'T DO THAT!" she screamed, punching him straight in the arm and leaving him to hiss in pain. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, you jerk!" she screeched.

He immediately raised his hands in apology. "I'm sorry. Really," he said, trying to chuckle.

She glared at him before pushing him aside and marching into the closet. "Stupid. Idiot. Jerk. Asshole," she grumbled, listing off all the curses she knew of before moving to viler ones, some of which are not really appropriate for human ears.

He wiggled his ears, pretending that she was referring to someone else instead of her. Or better yet, pretend that he wasn't listening to her at all. He approached from behind before wrapped his arms around her towel-clad form. "Don't freaking touch me right now," she grumbled, still peeved.

He chuckled before angling his head better to kiss her cheek. "In my defense, I did knock _and_ ring the doorbell," he chuckled. "Twice," he added.

"Whatever! I had the music on, _and_ I was showering. Your defense doesn't count," she pointed before shifting around in his arms.

He hoisted her up a little before leaning to kiss her affectionately. "I'm sorry," he smiled, gazing into her eyes with tenderness.

Cooling off immediately, she slowly smiled against his lips as he pulled back. "I won't be this nice next time," she said with a little smirk.

He scoffed. "You call yourself _nice?"_ he chuckled. He just heard a bunch of profanities from her.

"Whatever," she giggled before opening her lips again to ask him how his day was when something black on the floor caught her eye. "Hey, what's that?" she arched a curious brow, staring at an opened velvet-cased box.

He didn't bother seeing what she was looking at. He already knew. With a sigh, he reached into his pockets before pulling out the ring he had been holding for a while. He let it curl around the tips of his fingers, his gaze fixated on the uncut diamond forged at the top. Stella's eyes enlarged in fascination and awe before her lips parted when she realized what she was looking at. That looks like a ring and not just any ring. It looks like something you give to your significant other…when they accept your proposal. _Was this Skylar's engagement ring years ago?_ She thought, deadpanned.

"…Is that…?" Stella thought out loud, but she already knew the answer.

He nodded, confirming her hunch. "…At first, I kept it because, well…I couldn't throw it away. I keep it because I knew if I threw it away, then it means it's really over. This used to remind me of how great things were back then," he said with a nostalgic reminiscence. "I used to look at it every day. Every day that I was sober enough to, at least," he chuckled. "And then…by the time we got married…I gradually forgot about it," he said softly. "I only remembered again when she came back a few months ago."

Stella looked at him as wistfulness radiated from his body, giving her goosebumps. "...You don't drink anymore," she observed.

"No, I don't," he concurred. "I didn't do it because I was addicted. I did it to forget. It nearly worked until I saw my mom crying for me in the hospital because I wouldn't wake up."

Stella slid in beside him and drew her knees to her chest. "You never really talk about that." She waited for him to say something she definitely wouldn't like, but…it never came as he uttered the next few words.

"...You wanted me to talk more," he retorted gently. She stood in silence, listening to him speak. "…I couldn't throw this thing away back then..." he said, fixating his eyes on the ring in his hands before continuing, "But today…I don't have a use for it anymore," he smiled before bending to pick up the black box and dropping the ring back in there safely.

She was surprised to see him do that, to see him part with him that's emotionally so valuable. "…You…don't…?" she asked cluelessly in astonishment.

Setting the box back down, he smiled at her wonder. Attaching his forehead to hers, he took a deep breath before letting out a relaxed sigh. "I have you," he whispered. "Things can't get any better than this." His grip on her tightened by a few notches as he gazed into her eyes seriously. "I want you to know that I'm not with you because I lost someone I once loved. I'm with you because I love you. There's no other reason and there will never be one."

She blinked in surprise at his words before a light smile touched her lips, widening slowly. Honestly, she wondered why she sometimes got so worked up over things like girls approaching Brandon and flirting with him. Because truthfully, they _don't_ matter. Not when he's so downright charming and loaded with charisma like this. All of her silent worries and faint insecurities washed away as she found herself not really caring about where on earth he roamed today (despite having enough sense to make a _very_ accurate and plausible guess). "You know...you just earned some _major_ husband points for that," she smirked, poking his chest with her index.

He grinned in response.

"Major enough for me to not pummel you with questions related to where you've been today," she grinned triumphantly, earning an impressed raised brow from him.

Impressed, he raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he drawled, a look of pride and self-worship escaping from his face.

She nodded with a happy smile. "But do tell me when I ask you about it later," she finished, her pretty face being illuminated with a childish grin.

He stared at her for a moment before laughing out loud and shaking his head in amusement. "Enough about me…you haven't earned a single wife point," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively, letting her know _exactly_ how she can fix that. "In fact…I'm afraid you have a negative balance," he whispered suggestively.

She blushed deeply at his implications as he pushed her against him firmly, letting her feel his awaiting body against her own. Her skin was still damp and felt warmer as it continued to reel from the aftereffects of the shower. She raised herself on her toes and leaned in, letting her lips brush barely over his. "I can fix that," she challenged him before wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips in a blazing kiss.

Pleased and not too surprised, he smirked against her lips before closing his eyes and reciprocating just as fiercely. He groaned in response as her hands struggled with his shirt. Breaking the kiss for a moment, he pulled it over his head, lacking the patience to unbutton it all the way down. Yanking the towel right off her and revealing her underneath, he ravished her neck, making her immediately moan his name out loud. The rest of the clothes were soon lost, gathering hopelessly around the floor as the two forgot the rest of the world and indulged themselves into each other, refusing to be distracted by anything else.

* * *

 ** _Two weeks later…_**

Days passed quietly. No more bitter memories and no more surprise attacks from people from the dark flashbacks.

Brandon and Stella felt their bond strengthen as their relationship became even more transparent. They still fought here and there but these were the types of matches that Stella had envisioned initially and on a larger scale, even Brandon too. Everything was going incredibly well and even more so when one fine morning (a day they've both excitedly looked forward to) _finally_ arrived…

* * *

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 5:45 AM ~**

Brandon couldn't wake up fast enough to his daily alarm which was set to a few minutes earlier than usual this morning. His eyes sleepily fluttered open before he rubbed them with a drowsy yawn. When he remembered today's date, there was no such thing as too wide a grin as his smile shone through his eyes.

Knowing why, his gaze automatically descended to the sleeping blonde in his arms. Knowing her, she'll be insentient for the next, give or take, two to three hours. He chuckled fondly before the arm around her waist held her closer while his thumb absentmindedly stroked the sides, caressing the bare skin over there. He decided to let her sleep in for however long she wanted to. Raising his head just enough, he wounded his free hand around the back of her head before his lips pressed forward to kiss her hair. Without another word, he gently removed his arm from underneath her and sat up slowly, grimacing at the uncomfortable numbness that resulted. He rolled his shoulders back and forth. He felt somewhat sore in his left half, having slept in the same position all night and that too with her on top of him each moment.

He covered her body warmly before stretching and disappearing into the bathroom soon afterwards.

And an hour later, Brandon found himself mounting down the stairs to get everything ready, one of the top items being preparing her favorite meal of the day: a hearty breakfast of all of her favorite food items in the world.

* * *

An hour or two later, Stella woke up drowsily before her eyes slowly fluttered open. She rubbed her eyes before raising herself on her elbow, wondering why she can't feel another warm body beside her. As her eyes adjusted themselves to the faint twilight rays that penetrated through the closed curtains, a loud gasp soon left her throat when she saw the ceiling filled with red and white helium balloons. She looked around the room in awe and smiled softly when she saw the room adorned beautifully with ruby-red rose petals. On the nightstand, there was a fresh bouquet of blood red roses, along with a beautifully embroidered card taped to the roots with a loving message written neatly inside.

Stella opened the little flap before her eyes fell on the loving words.

 _To my best friend in life, my love, my wife, my everything,_

 _Happy anniversary, princess. Thank you for being my world, Sunshine._

Stella's heart melted at such a heartwarming note. _Not to mention ridiculously cheesy,_ she grinned. Who cares anyway? When you're in love, you're supposed to _be_ cheesy.

Stella hopped out of the bed, excited to start today and not waste another speck of it. She did her morning business and showered immediately before getting dressed in comfortable night clothes. _Ahh._ That feels good.

She burst open the bedroom door before making her way downstairs and into the kitchen, knowing that was probably where he's at. Not to mention the _delicious_ aroma of whatever he's making being a dead giveaway.

Hearing all that racket she's been creating upstairs for the last twenty to thirty minutes, Brandon chuckled to himself, impatiently waiting for her to freshen up and come down. His smile widened when he saw her enter the kitchen, letting her eyes walk all over the in-progress food items before she felt her vision fixate on the brown-haired, chocolate-brown-eyed handsome male in front of her. "Brandon!" she cried out loud happily before rushing over to him, her heart singing with rhapsody.

He laughed as she crashed straight into him and wrapped her slender arms around his muscular torso before resting her face into his chest and smiling joyfully against it. "Good morning, Sunshine," he said enthusiastically.

"And indeed, it is," she gushed, thanking him for the sweet, wake-up-to gesture earlier with a kiss. "Happy anniversary, husband," she grinned, her stunning amber depths mesmerizing him like always.

"Happy anniversary, wife," he smirked before letting his lips cover hers in a loving kiss.

She blushed slightly but the smile on her face refused to leave her. "You couldn't sleep in even today?" she pouted, smacking him in the chest.

He shook his head in amusement, accustomed to her favorite place of abuse considering how often she did it. "I'll do it now if you want," he smirked. "In fact, I can do a lot more than just sleep in…" he teased with a suggestive wink, earning flushed cheeks from her.

"Jerk," she mumbled with a blush on her face.

He let out a short laugh and she couldn't resist smiling at that. Two years. Today marked their two-year marriage anniversary though in reality, they've stayed for only one. "You know…adding up…we've only been together for one year," she observed. The first four months and the last eight months…heh. That was funny in a way.

He nodded, his eyes turning to misery for a brief moment at the one year lost between them. He'll never lose her again. _Ever._ She's the best thing that has ever happened to him and he'd damn himself to hell if she slipped away from his hands again. But there was no danger of that anymore. He didn't feel as restricted as before. He felt lighter than he had been in the last few years and wondered why he prevented himself from being that way all along. "I love you, Stell," he softly said, owing every bit of the good parts in him to her credit. Without her, he would've definitely rotted as a wretched, irascible scalawag.

"I love you too," she smiled, her effusive, affectionate eyes shining with untainted love.

* * *

 **~ 8:30 PM ~**

Spending the morning being showered rotten with gifts and delicacies and eating out at a classy, elegant restaurant for lunch, the two returned back home. Stella had originally suggested for them to go out for dinner instead as dining out for lunch seemed to be a little odd, but he had insisted for an afternoon date instead, hinting that he had other plans for the night.

They were currently outside in their backyard, laying down on a classic red and white checked picnic towel and facing the sky. Laying on a pillow, Brandon placed an arm under his head to prop himself up while Stella lay in his arms, happily nuzzled to his chest. His fingers absentmindedly combed through her straight strands, occasionally brushing her bangs back before they jumped back to cover her forehead once more. They both lay under the stars in a peaceful silence. The night was quiet for the most part save for the little birds that sang every now and then and crickets that chirped frequently.

Gazing at the sky with relaxed breathing, Brandon's warm brown eyes flickered back and forth, jumping from one star to another. But no star burned bright enough or even came close to the shining star he held in his arms. He couldn't believe it's been two years since he got her. And despite being with her for only one of them, he couldn't believe the lengths their relationship had blossomed to. And he had waited for today. He waited so long for this day, for this moment.

"Stell," he nudged her.

"Hmm," she acknowledged before turning her head to face him. Her smile fell from her lips and turned to confusion when he started to sit up, forcing her to do that as well.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he smiled.

"Now?" she asked, checking the time on his watch.

"Come on," he smiled, inviting her as he stood up. He gave her his hand and with a shrug, she took it as he lifted her up. They walked along the grass, hand-in-hand. The night was still fairly young and neither showed any signs of needing rest. Most likely, they were going to sleep pretty late.

"You're awfully silent," Stella initiated after a few minutes of quietude.

He stopped walking, forcing her to halt as well as he turned to her. "I'm…thinking," he said somewhat unsurely, the weight of a certain diamond ring suddenly weighing his right pocket down.

She nodded, urging him to go on.

He took a deep breath, but it did little to appease him. He didn't even know why he was this nervous. "Stell…what would've happened if you know…if we hadn't gotten married two years ago?" he asked tentatively.

"We would've gotten married today," she answered. _"Duh."_

He couldn't help but laugh at her bluntness. But a part of him disagreed with that. If they weren't married, would she have left him a long time ago? He shuddered. That's a what-if he feared the answer to. "I know you didn't marry me out of your will and—"

"You didn't either," she chipped in, feeling a strange guilt vibe coming from him.

"I know," he sighed. "But you were in a worse place than I was," he said. "And…and what I wanted to ask you was…" he stammered a little. "Do you want another wedding?" he blurted suddenly.

Stella's eyes widened as her eyebrows shot up to the roof at his question. Before long, a smirk stretched her lips. "Brandon Shields…are you proposing to me?" she asked coyly, giggling afterwards and resuming the walk.

"…What if I was?" he asked softly, causing her to stop smiling instantly and fall silent at his words. Using her stunned silence to his advantage, he took her hands in his. "Stella, you're undoubtedly the best thing that has _ever_ happened to me in the last twenty-five years. You remind me that there's a light at the end of every tunnel, you complete me in ways I never knew could exist, you make me want to be a better man for you, and I want nothing more than to share our lives together and grow old with you," he confessed sincerely, gazing into her dumbfounded honey-colored eyes. "I promise, Stell, I promise to love and cherish you each and every moment. I can't promise you won't cry but I can promise that I will be there with you every step of the way," he softly said. He took a small step away from her before bending on one knee and taking the navy-blue velvet box out of his pocket. That alone made Stella cover her mouth in shock as she stared at him, openmouthed. "Will you marry me, Stell?" he asked meaningfully before opening the box, revealing a ring inside.

She gasped and covered her mouth in shock, taking a step back involuntarily. She stared at him as her lips parted. A few tears fell down her cheeks as she struggled to breathe. "B-But…but…" she stammered. "We…we're already married," she whispered in shock.

"Not by choice," he retorted right on cue. "So? What do you say?" he asked, waiting with a bated breath.

Tears of jubilance misted around her eyes as she didn't even bother to hesitate or at least _think_ about her answer. "Yes," she sniffled with a smile.

"Yes?" he grinned.

Seeing the bright happiness that illuminated his handsome face, she couldn't help but smile widely. "Yes! A big, fat YES!" she grinned before pouncing on him with a joyful squeal. He laughed in delight at her answer and grunted as he fell on his back with her on top of him. With shining amber orbs that showed him exactly how happy he made her, she raised her head to kiss him which he gladly reciprocated. He took her hand and put the ring on her finger, rightfully where it belonged.

Separating, she smiled at him before redirecting her gaze to her hand when her eyes once again threatened to pop out of her sockets. "Hey, where did this come from?" she asked in surprise, staring at the foreign object on her ring finger. This wasn't her wedding ring. However, it was gorgeous.

"I brought it a few weeks ago," he answered plainly as she marveled in the beauty and timeless elegance of the ring. It seemed to be made out of white gold with crescent bands leading their way up to the crown of the ring. The round diamonds that curved around the diamond made the center stone look almost twice as large. To put it simply...it was _wow._

"Does this mean I'm engaged or married?" she gawked, still gaping at the rock sitting on her finger.

Brandon laughed. "My turn," he chuckled. "Give me my ring, woman," he demanded with a smirk.

She gasped as she turned to him, finally breaking away from the shimmering sight on her finger. "Oh my god, I completely forgot. Come on!" she instantly stood up, making a hassle to go inside and retrieve it instantly. Honestly, she's been wrapped up with so many things that she eventually forgot they had both taken off their rings and given them to the other for safekeeping.

He stopped her, grasping her wrist gently before tugging her back into his arms. "I meant what I asked you earlier…" he started. "Do you want another wedding? A real one this time?" he asked, pressing his forehead against hers. He pressed his lips against hers fleetingly before pulling back, allowing her to answer.

She bit her lip in thought. "Honestly…not anymore," she softly murmured, shaking her head. "I used to think a huge wedding with lots of cakes and flowers was going to do the trick," she laughed, thinking about her fluffy, hopelessly romantic dreams her twenty-year-old self imagined from a few years ago. "But now…" she trailed off in thought.

"But…?" he urged for her to continue.

"I don't know. I think…I already have everything I could've ever wanted," she said truthfully. "I mean, I got the guy. I won," she beamed, leaving him to chuckle.

"Are you sure?" he asked just in case to be sure.

She bit her lip. "Wouldn't it be weird? If we had another wedding?" she asked.

"Is that what's bothering you?" he asked. "That people might talk about us? We don't have to have a wedding. We can renew our vows. And for real this time."

"I don't want anything official," Stella shook her head although she told him she was game for renewing vows. She didn't want to sit through wedding planning and spend months on picking the right flowers, arranging guest lists, picking out a venue, etc. And she didn't think Brandon wanted to either. They were already married. They didn't want to have another grand wedding and risk forgetting or tainting the importance of their first one.

He thought for a moment. "…How about something unofficial then?" he suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have to ask anyone. It'll be just the two of us and we can renew our vows here," he whispered, cocking his head towards the house. "Right here...in our home."

Her eyes widened at his suggestion. "Wait. Seriously?" she gaped. An unofficial ceremony? Here? In their _house?!_

"The night _is_ still young and who knows? It could be fun," he said, a little smirk tugging at his lips. He gazed at her with a mischievous, lighthearted glint in his handsome orbs. "And it _is_ still our anniversary," he smirked.

Her eyes widened again but this time it wasn't out of surprise. It was out of excitement. "Are you serious? Like _really_ serious?!" she gasped, clutching his arm.

He smirked. "C'mon," he tugged on her wrist before making a run to the house, dragging her with him.

Stella let out a squeal as she practically _flew_ behind him. "Really?! Right now?!" she squeaked, half out of frenzy and half out of exhilaration.

He didn't answer. If there was any way to make their relationship officially… _official,_ then why not? Besides, like he said, it could be fun.

Five minutes later, they were busy "chatting" in the living room with Stella shooting off questions from every angle and Brandon staying silent and wondering when she'll be done with her question bombing.

"Stell!" he hushed her, clamping a hand against her mouth and holding her still. "Be quiet," he chuckled. She's seriously such a child sometimes. He took his hand off when she let out muffled squeaks.

"But you said you had plans for tonight! What about those?! And no matter how many times I ask you," she pouted, poking a pointy index into his chest. "You. Wouldn't. Tell. Me!" she protested.

He rolled his eyes. "You've waited all day. You can wait another hour or two."

"Tell me!" she demanded, tugging at his collar.

"Nope," he smirked, shaking his head from side to side.

She huffed in defeat before crossing her arms and turning away from him stubbornly. Seeing her saddened spirit and that too especially today and because of him, he couldn't help but relent into her request. "Hey," he spoke before turning her chin to face him one more time. "You've been there before," he softly said. "Tell you what. Let's get this over with and I'll take you there immediately."

Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and she turned to him with a smile. "Really?" she hopefully asked. She didn't care if it was so late at night to make fancy plans.

He nodded. He smirked internally because he could only imagine how surprised she's gonna be when she realizes how related her surprise and this abrupt wedding are. _What an irony._ Truly.

In the next two minutes, Brandon had left her in the living room and shot off upstairs. They both unequivocally decided to recreate their wedding day as best as they could and that means…

 _That's right._ Their wedding attires were about to make a necessary comeback.

He gave her the room and promised her no less than one hour or, at the max, a half hour extra to get ready.

No later than when he said, Stella sped off into one of the bedrooms, the room she had stayed in when she first arrived to New York. She decided to take a hot shower. Quickly stripping down to nothing, she hopped off to the bathroom. Stepping into the shower tub and putting her hair up in a trusty shower cap, the blonde turned the tap and stood as hot water soon caressed her body.

At the same time, Brandon was in the shower upstairs, being more leisure than Stella was. He was a guy. He didn't need much time to get ready even if it is his own wedding. Brandon closed his eyes, letting the water hit his body. He just stood there for a few minutes, placing a hand gently against the wall as he rested and took deep breaths, calming and easing himself. The water dripped down his hair softly, darkening his natural chestnut color even more. The drops slowly slithered down his body sinfully, making their way to his perfectly carved abs and the rest of his well worked out body.

* * *

Brandon rounded a belt around his pitch-black pants before reaching for his white ironed dress shirt. Securing the cuff links, he slowly buttoned his way up, observing himself in the full-length mirror every once in a while. A few strands of his straight, damp hair fell along his forehead, giving him a mysterious, brooding look. After fastening a bowtie around his neck, he put on the last garment, a black jacket, completing the tux.

Satisfied with his final look, he went to the drawers to pick up one final object, the most important one tonight. In moments, he gazed at the small wedding band that used to rest against Stella's finger. His eyes misted miserably as he remembered why he had it with him in the first place. She rejected him. She didn't want to be with him anymore. But never again. She's such an angel for giving him so many chances, so many chances that he clearly didn't deserve. But this time, he was going to change. He'll be a better man. He'll be better today than how he was yesterday. _That's_ who Stella deserved.

He put it back in his pocket and checked the time, surprised that he really did use up his one hour. He wondered what Stella was doing. He exited the bedroom and made his way down the stairs.

* * *

Finished with her shower, Stella went straight to the closet with a towel wrapped around her. She hadn't moved to the master bedroom yet at that time, so this was where she had put her dress.

In a few minutes, she freely stood in her inner-wear before parting the entire closet to one side, revealing a large box at the back corner with her wedding gown stashed neatly inside. A soft gasp left her lips as she stood there for a few minutes, relishing in the box's existence. An incredible wave of nostalgia emanated from her as she stared at it for a while before moving to take it out. She set the box on the bed before opening it carefully. And there it was. With shaky fingers, Stella took her wedding dress out which was locked inside the box in a protective covering. Stella brushed her fingers wistfully along her dress, shivering slightly when she felt the sequins and embroideries tickle the pads of her fingers. She hadn't realized the beauty of this dress back then. She'd been too preoccupied with fear and sorrow that Brandon might hate her and how her life sucks and other pitiful reasons. But looking at it now, this dress was just stunning. It looked like it's been designed just for her. Or maybe she felt this way because she already wore it once. Nonetheless, she loved it.

Placing it over her, she slipped easily into the dress though she frowned when the stitches inside from the lace and glitters scraped roughly against her skin, tickling her uncomfortably. "I forgot how much of a nightmare this dress was back then," she snorted. As the dress settled, it made her skin tingle even more. She had half a mind to just ditch it and just wear pajamas. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head before finding the zipper on the back. She struggled to zip it up. It took her a solid ten minutes of struggling and scuffling with the dress, she finally pulled it up all the way through.

She didn't have much time to do her hair _and_ makeup to a professional level. Obviously. One hour is barely enough to shower and get dressed, much less hair and makeup. With whatever time she had left, she used it to apply makeup with bolder touches than her every day look and toss in a few curls here and there.

Stella looked at her reflection one more time, not sure why she felt her heart irregularly race. It's not like she's really getting married! Not officially in front of pastors, ministers, friends, and family anyway! So…why was she scared? They were just renewing their vows…in their living room…with no witnesses. Yeah. No biggie.

After she readied herself to a decent state, she frowned slightly when she remembered that the ring was upstairs. She opened the door and peeked outside, opening the door just enough to see a shadow roaming around the living room. Like she expected, Brandon was already ready to go. He looked like he's been done for a while. _Great._

"Brandon?!" she called out, biting her lip.

Her call got his attention as he stopped leisurely pacing around and turned in her general direction. She made sure to keep herself hidden and not show herself to him yet. "Yeah?" he answered with a call of his own. "Are you ready?"

"Can you close your eyes for a couple of minutes?!" she hollered.

"The hell?" Brandon scrunched his face in confusion. "You know I'm actually supposed to watch you walk down the aisle, right?" he snorted.

She rolled her yes. "Yeah, _if_ there's an actual aisle!" she shouted back.

"Touché," he rolled his eyes.

"Just do it, please!" she asked.

Brandon let out a sigh and closed his eyes, feeling absolutely ridiculous. "Okay, okay, hurry up," he muttered.

Stella slowly stepped out of the bedroom and peeked around the hallway to make sure he wasn't lying. "I actually forgot something important," she explained before hastily making her way up the stairs as fast as she could without tripping or falling all over her dress.

"Oh," he simply mumbled in understanding. Hearing her escape into their master bedroom, he opened his eyes and resumed his casual pacing, adjusting his tux every once in a while. "C'mon, Stell," he sighed, checking the time on his watch. To be honest, they had somewhere else to be and that's precisely the reason he gave her the one-hour timeline.

Meanwhile, Stella opened the drawers and underneath the folds of her clothes, she saw what she was looking for. Her breath caught in her throat as she picked the little case containing Brandon's wedding band. A smile slowly widened on her face and it only kept growing as she recalled him officially proposing to her. Oh my god, he really did propose to her. So…this time, they won't have to say they got married because their parents told them to. They can tell the entire world they got married because they _love_ each other. They can tell _each other_ that. The only promises they're bind to are the ones they make to each other from now on, not the ones they give to their parents or outsiders.

Wondering why it was taking her so long, Brandon started to lose his patience. "Stell?!" he called, summoning her downstairs.

Stella jolted out of her trance before closing the drawers and picking up the box. "Patience is a virtueee!" she sang as she picked up her dress to walk. How was she supposed to follow a stringent timeline when she had a dress that probably weighed at least twenty pounds?!

"Not right now, it isn't," he snorted. "You know what? Forget it, I'm coming upstairs," he announced, refusing to give her any more time.

Stella giggled at the irritation in his tone. Clearly, he was impatient. Sue her, she wanted to impress him! "Okay, okay, I'm coming!" she said before going out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. "First of all, one hour is never enough for a girl to get ready on a casual day, much less on her makeshift wedding day/anniversary!" she said in a matter-of-fact tone, climbing down the stairs one by one and making sure she doesn't topple over herself.

With her ranting and all, she never noticed Brandon stopping suddenly in the middle of the stairs after catching sight of her. _Oh, wow._ Clearly, he was an _idiot_ to not notice her the first time. With rubicund cheeks, cheerful eyes, and smiling lips, she really seemed like a true bride. He wondered if…if she met him under different circumstances and fallen in love with him without anything tying to him…would she look like this? He regretted not being able to experience the innocent way of falling in love with her. Getting to know her, the _real_ her without anything traumatic holding her back, enjoying falling in love every step of the way…all of those countless cheesy things that couples usually do, he was never able to do them with her. Their relationship was forged and fired, quite literally at times, by something that couldn't be explained. But he'll have a lifetime with her to experience those joys they both missed out on. And though he wanted to go on an elaborate way to propose to her, he couldn't wait. He wanted to give her back her ring only after being able to show her how much he truly loved her with every pulsing fiber in his body and how much he had really changed over the past four months. And today…he was able to do it. He was able to promise her. A promise that he'll never stop loving her. A promise that he'll protect her both physically and emotionally. A promise that he'll be the husband that she deserves. A promise that he'll always be willing to go to any length to keep the beautiful smile he's seeing on her face right now.

Stella looked up as she reached him only to see him gazing at her in a stupendous, spellbound trance. Her lips parted slightly when she saw him in his tux. She wondered if it's the same one from their wedding. He owned several suits, his obvious preference of black appearing in each of them. She wondered how he was able to distinguish one from another. But it doesn't matter what he wore. His pressed suit showed off his broad shoulders and his V-shaped physique that made him as deliriously desirable as he was handsome.

"…You look radiant," he said a little breathlessly, being the first to break the silence with a charming, affectionate smile.

"And you," she said with a bated breath, reciprocating the same sentiment.

They stared at each other cluelessly for a few more seconds before starting to smile at each other. And soon, they were chuckling and letting out short laughs, breaking the deeply romantic and intimate atmosphere.

"We're so weird," Stella observed with a laugh as she looked around them. They were standing in the middle of the stairs with Stella standing on a step above Brandon. He still towered over her by an inch or two, but it wasn't that noticeable anymore.

Brandon scratched the back of his head, clueless on what to do now. Do they just start talking? "How about we get off the stairs first?" he suggested wisely, taking her hand. It'll only take one clumsy moment for their bodies to go bonkers and roll down the stairs. _Pass._ No, thanks.

Standing in the middle of the living room seconds later, they still continued to look at each other cluelessly, having no idea on what to do now. Stella bit her lip and fidgeted with her fingers while Brandon occasionally glanced back and forth between his toes and the floor.

"Uh…wait," Brandon quipped, glancing up at her and flashing her a quick smile before pulling out his phone.

Stella looked at him in confusion before moving closer to him and clutching his arm. She peered down to see that he had opened YouTube. _Huh?_ He typed in _"priest speech at a wedding."_ Stella stared at him in bewilderment before starting to laugh. "Seriously?!" she erupted into a fit of giggles.

"Why not?" he chuckled before starting to laugh with her. He clicked on a twenty-minute video where an officiant started to recite the familiarly touching words typically said to the bride and groom before they officially become husband and wife.

 _"We're all here today to celebrate the relationship of [Bride] and [Groom] and to be witnesses and supporters of the commitment they share with one another. Together we're a group of the most important people in their lives and they've brought us here to publicly recognize that we've all played some special part in the love they share today."_

Brandon and Stella looked at each other for a long moment before staring at the video again.

 _"Marriage gives permanence and structure to a couple's love. It's a way to tell one another that no matter how much you snore or how much you spent while out at the shopping mall, we're still in this together."_

Stella snorted. "Oh, we better be," she muttered under her breath, making him laugh.

 _"A good marriage must be built on the foundation of this commitment. In marriage the "little" things are the big things."_

"Um…Brand," Stella started to tug on his arm impatiently, wondering for how long they have to listen to this priest go on and on monologuing about marriage. They already know. Marriage is telling the person you love that you're not going anywhere and that's a powerful commitment for two people to make to one another. And they made this commitment long ago. They just need to make it "official."

"Agreed," he nodded before putting the phone away with a humorous chuckle.

"You know what? Screw it. I got this on my own," Stella stated in a matter-of-fact tone before standing in front of him. "Brandon, I freaking love you, and I have your ring with me right here that I think will look better on your finger than sleep between my socks," she panted, wiggling the box in front of his eyes. "I love you, I love you, and I love you and I promise to always love you. There. All done. Now put this thing on and give me mine," she demanded, grabbing his hand impatiently.

Brandon blinked at how fast she went on. It sounded more like a rant than a love confession. "Stell, wait!" he shook his amusement at her impatience as she took his ring out and threw the box aside. As crazy as she sounded, it was his turn to speak. "My turn," he shushed her, placing a finger on her lips for a moment. After holding her still, he took a deep breath before speaking. "After…after your parents passed away, you stayed here. In that room," he said, cocking his head into the open bedroom behind her. "After a few months, you wanted to go back to LA, but I was the one that stopped you, telling you to stay," he said. "I hadn't realized it back then, but I think that's the moment I first fell in love with you, Stell," he said tenderly, pouring his heart into it. Her eyes widened at his confession. "Because back then…whenever you wanted to leave, I would've done anything to prevent that from happening…I'd lie just about anything to keep you here," he softly said, gazing into her eyes. "…With me."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Because I was scared that if you left…I'd be alone again," he whispered with a longing in his throat that rendered her speechless. "All these times you'd tell me that you never saw me afraid of anything. I _am_ afraid, Stell," he said, reaching his hand to caress her cheek with his thumb. "I'm afraid of a life without you."

Stella's eyes softened as she stared at him. He didn't seem so intimidating or brooding anymore. No, he didn't look like a twenty-five-year-old CEO who can have just about anything his heart desires at the snap of his fingers. _Nooo._ He looked like an innocent twenty-year-old — barely an adult — whose future has been robbed from him in a flash and was now left standing on the dark, dimly lit streets at night. Alone. Scared. But nowhere to go. And she _hated_ this look for him. She hated to see him so vulnerable and disappointed with himself. "You don't have to be afraid, Brand," she reassured with unshed tears looming over her throat. "I'm not going anywhere."

Taking her wrist into his hand, he used it to pull her straight into his chest before locking his arms around her waist. "I swear to you…I'll never make you unhappy ever again," he whispered, attaching his forehead to hers. "I love you."

A smile broke out on her face as she said nothing and continuing gazing into his eyes, her soft brown eyes glistening with adoration and joy. "I love you too."

Gazing at one another, they knew that no matter what the circumstances are, they'd always be together in the end.

Getting married the first time wasn't _just_ a serendipitous godsend. It was _fate._ They could still both hear the pastor saying the most important words of their lives.

 _"We have gathered here today in the presence of God to join Brandon Shields and Stella Solaria in the name of holy matrimony..."_

And now…they'll be together for the rest of their lives. _By choice._ Not by luck, not by a certificate with signatures, and not by the will of anyone else. Though they fought in the past and walked down two separate paths for a while…eventually all forked paths _do_ converge at _some_ point.

 _"Do you, Brandon Shields, take this woman, Stella Solaria, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded wife; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect her and to forsake all others for her sake; to cleave unto her, and her only, until death shall part you?"_

"I do," he softly said, gazing into her eyes.

 _"Do you, Stella Solaria, take this man, Brandon Shields, whose hand you now hold, to be your true and wedded husband; and do you solemnly promise before God and these witnesses to love, cherish, honor, and protect him and to forsake all others for him sake; to cleave unto him, and him only, until death shall part you?"_

"I do," she smiled without breaking contact.

 _"If anyone has any concerns or restrictions regarding this holy affair, please speak now."_

"Nope…no concerns," Brandon whispered with a chuckle.

"Or restrictions," Stella giggled.

"Well…seeing that there's silence everywhere—" he said, gesturing to the empty audience.

Stella giggled.

"&mdashI guess that now we're officially…husband and—," he smiled, his grin growing wider.

"— and wife," she finished with him, beaming from ear to ear. "Oh." Her eyes suddenly flashed with recognition as she remembered the ring in her hands. She smiled at him before holding it between her thumb and index. Taking his hand in hers, she gently slipped the ring onto his finger before heaving out a soft, but immensely relieved sigh. _Finally. Back where it belongs!_

Brandon smiled as he stared at his hand for a long second before glancing at her back again. He picked up her hand before doing the same and kissing her hand afterwards. "I wish you a happy married life, Mrs. Shields," he smirked. "Take _good_ care of your husband."

She giggled. "You too, Dr. Shields," she said with a coy smirk. "Take _fantastic_ care of your wife. As you know, a happy wife equals a happy household," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

He laughed before pulling her closer. "True words," he chuckled as he went forth to capture her lips instantly. She smiled against his lips, her arms making their way around their neck. Before things could get too hot and heavy, Brandon stopped, pulling away a few inches and placing a finger against her burning, awaiting lips. "I have one more surprise for you," he said with a low and husky voice. "We can pick this up there," he winked.

"What?" she murmured breathlessly, too dazed to pay attention. "Where?" she asked cluelessly.

"I told you we were gonna go somewhere," he repeated before stepping back and then snatching her by the wrist. "Ready?"

"Where are we going now? It's already so late at night," Stella protested before her eyebrows arched towards the roof when she realized another thing. "And that too wearing… _this?!"_ she gawked in astonishment while staring at her dress, refusing to budge. Oh god, she did _not_ need the attention from wherever he's about to take her. "So, _no,_ I'm _not_ ready," she declared.

He stifled a chuckle at her concerns, choosing to give her only a coy smirk. "You might regret it later," he teased.

"…" She stared at him unsurely, still uncomfortable about wearing this outside. "Can't I change?"

"...If I promise that no one will see us, will that make you feel better?"

She nodded vigorously, blushing a little. She wasn't embarrassed of being with him. She just didn't want people staring at them right now.

He sighed with apology. "I can't promise that but even if someone _does_ see us, it won't be more than a few seconds," he promised. "Please?" he coaxed.

She sighed, caving in. "Fine," she mumbled, crossing her arms with a short huff.

A few minutes later, Brandon led them both into the car and told her to buckle up. He checked the time on his watch. It was close to eleven. It wasn't that late compared to the busy lives of New Yorkers. It wasn't that early either, so that was a relief.

"Where are we going anyway? If we're going to a restaurant, we're _wayyy_ past the reservation times," she pointed out.

"No, we're not going to eat," he laughed at her cute guess before leaning forward to open the dashboard and pulling out a soft black cloth.

"Um...the park then? The zoo?" she listed off in confusion, not knowing what else could be their destination at such a random time in the night.

"No and _definitely_ no," he laughed before quickly kissing her cheek and holding her head firmly still. "Tie this thing around your eyes and we'll be on our way," he said, wiggling the cloth in her face before tossing it in her lap.

"I'm not allowed to look?" she pouted before picking the fabric up.

"Not yet," he hummed before snatching it from her and deciding to just do it himself. He tied the blindfold around her before asking how many fingers he's holding up. When she got it wrong, he smirked with satisfaction before finally starting the ignition and pulling out of the driveway.

"Are we there yet?" the blonde suddenly piqued from beside him after only a few seconds of driving.

"Stell, we're still in the same street," he laughed. "You need to be patient, young lady," he dictated, sounding very much like a strict professor instructing his not-so-properly-disciplined student.

"Can't I at least see where we're going? I'm a blind date, Brandon. A literal blind date," she whined.

He laughed again. "If you see the path, you might recognize where we're going," he said, denying her request.

"Pleaseeeeee?" she sweetly asked before leaning over to him. She hated surprises.

Seeing her look a little down, he knew she was faking it, but his eyes softened anyway. "Sunshine, I want there to be at least _some_ surprise," he softly said. "It's nothing big, so…just wait it out, hmm?" he gently asked, his tone caring and affectionate.

She sighed in defeat. Well, there goes that. "…Fine," she mumbled. "It's criminal how you can be so convincing," she grumbled, melting at the warmth and love in his voice.

He laughed before reaching down to hold her hand. "And don't you forget it," he chuckled.

* * *

Forty to sixty minutes later, Brandon parked the car right where he wanted, a little frustrated with New York's traffic regardless of the time. He looked towards the passenger's seat and half expected Stella to be asleep, but she was absentmindedly tapping her fingers on the door and leaning her head against the window. He cursed under his breath, knowing she was probably over her initial excitement and was now probably just bored out of her mind. "Stell?" he touched her shoulder.

She sat up straight in her seat. "Please tell me we're there," she pleaded, clutching his arm.

"Yup, we're here," he chuckled.

"Can I take this thing off?" she asked in excitement.

"No, actually, we're gonna be doing a little bit of walking. But first, I'll be back in a few minutes and you're gonna stay right here," he ordered before unlocking the doors.

"Wait, what?" she asked in surprise. "Where are you going? Where is here?" she bombarded him with questions.

"…I should've taped your mouth too," he mumbled loud enough for her to hear, leaving her to scowl at him. "I'll be back in a few, okay?" he leaned over to kiss her cheek quickly. "Don't peek, don't make any noise, just sit quietly, and wait for me."

He didn't give her time to respond as he got out immediately.

Stella felt the car fall into silence as he shut the door. _Should I peek? Just a little?_ She bit her lip, touching her black, opaque blindfold. With a sigh, her hands dropped to her lap. Well, whatever it was, Brandon didn't want her seeing it yet, so she wondered what it could be. Where could he possibly take her at almost _midnight?_ She knew she'll love it whatever it is, no matter how small or big the surprise is.

Her fingers absentmindedly played with her ring finger where she felt not one but _two_ rings. A smile blossomed on her lips while her cheeks were kissed in a soft hue of spring rose. Her arms felt the couture fabric underneath themselves and she felt almost silly for wearing her dress again. Most women wear their dress only once in a lifetime, right? She didn't know. But in a way, she felt lucky to wear it again. She had another chance to experience the feelings a real bride goes through on her own wedding. Except one. _Nervousness._ She hadn't felt that at all. She hadn't had that kind of anxiety. Maybe because she knew it'd be just her and him.

Stella wondered what her parents were thinking when they asked her to marry Brandon. Thinking of them brought her pain but at least the cuts weren't so deep anymore. But still, how could they have known? How could they have known that the man they selected for their daughter to marry would love her like this? He had changed so much within the past few months it made her heart soar with content. He didn't seem to carry the weights of the world on his shoulders. He wasn't brooding or mysterious all the time. He talked and smiled more. His laughter would wash her worries away and remind her that with him by her side, _anything_ is possible. His—

She suddenly jerked forward in her seat when her door opened. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Brandon reassured, stroking her cheek with his thumb gently.

She shook her head. "I was just thinking."

He shrugged. "We're here," he said. "I'm gonna take off the blindfold but don't open your eyes yet, okay?" he softly said as he took her seat belt off.

She nodded. She felt his fingers slip in between her head and the cloth. Before long, the fabric fell loosely around her shoulders. He took it off and tossed it aside somewhere before helping her out of the car.

A gust of wind blew across her face as she stood up straight. The chilly air gave her goosebumps and she rubbed her arms for some heat. What the hell is this place? Stella took a sniff, hoping that would give her _some_ clue but — _wait._ Hold up, is that chlorine? "Why do I smell a swimming pool?" she randomly asked. "Are we in our own house?" she asked him suspiciously. "You're not gonna push me in there, are you?" she asked him with narrowed eyes.

He stared at her as he closed the car door and locked the vehicle. Rolling his eyes at her absurd (but very much inviting) ideas, he chuckled. "It's ridiculously tempting but no," he smirked. "You're lucky you have this dress on," he said, tapping his fingers on her sides as an indication. He gestured her to start walking before telling her to stay silent for the next few minutes. He acted as a harbinger and cautioned her every now and then to watch her step.

Stella tried to strain all her senses. Seeing was out of the question and apparently so was touching as Brandon loosely kept her arms down. Only listening made any sense but the silence around her didn't help her give her little to nothing to go on. The only things she saw was the shadows of light and dark that danced behind her closed eyelids. "Where are we?" she mumbled to herself.

She heard the familiar sound of an elevator ding. _A hotel…?_ She guessed. She strained to think as to why on earth he would bring her to a hotel and that too leaving their perfectly good home to drive somewhere at least an hour or two away. _Hmm._ "…Is this a hotel?" she asked cluelessly.

"No, this is an elevator," he teasingly told her.

She frowned at his smartass answer. Clearly, he wasn't too keen on giving anything away. "At least tell me how long this is going to take," she asked.

"Patience is a virtue, Sunshine," he snickered.

"…" She's been blind for hours. This is visual — or, rather, the lack of it — terrorism.

He chuckled. He could tell she wasn't pleased. He watched the floor numbers increase before the elevator slowed to a stop as their floor arrived. He was surprised and thankful that no one got in the elevator with them. Well, it was nearly midnight.

Brandon held her arm before leading them both out of the closed space and walking down the hallway. When they stopped, Stella heard what seemed like a key sliding in. She gasped as he wordlessly tugged on her wrist once more. She heard the door shut behind her.

He gently turned the lock behind them, earning a soft click from the door. "Alright. Done," he said. "Open your eyes."

"Finally!" she exclaimed, having reached the brink of her sanity a long time ago. It's been a literal torture to be told that she needed to close her eyes but given no blindfold. She opened her eyes before squinting at the light that hid her eyelids. Her vision blurred and appeared dusky for a few seconds before her pupils started to adjust to the light.

The smile on her face faded away as her lips dropped open in surprise. She was right. They were in a hotel room. But not just _any_ hotel room. She felt speechless at how outrageously familiar the room seemed. Correction, it wasn't a room. It was a suite. _A honeymoon suite,_ to be precise. But not just _any_ honeymoon suite. It looks like the exact one they shared on their wedding day.

"It _is_ the same one," she heard from over her shoulder.

"R-Really?" she whispered in shock, turning to him. Her brain stuttered as her eyes frantically darted back and forth, recognizing the entities in the scene before her instantaneously.

He nodded slowly. "It's the same room."

Stella's eyes widened. She kept staring at the room with surprised, widened eyes. "Oh my god…you didn't," she whispered, astounded as she scoured for the details that she missed out on her first time.

A bright chandelier, adorned with crystals that perfectly captured the golden glow of the candle bulbs where each rested symmetrically in a scalloped bobèche, was fixated in the middle of the bedroom and enveloped the area in a dim, romantic atmosphere.

Stella's attention drifted to the canopy, king-sized, layered bed down below. Covered in a shade of gorgeous crème and beige sheets, the bed was decorated beautifully with matching pillows. There were even two bed towels that were shaped into two swans with their heads put in front of each other, forming a perfect heart. Ruby-red rose petals were delicately sprinkled on the bed with their edges curling slightly upwards from the warm autumn temperatures. The white-laced princess curtains that hung around the bed complimented the look beautifully. The blonde felt nostalgia hit her heart when she also noticed the jacuzzi, also speckled with rose petals, in the far back corner beside the bathroom.

Speechless, she turned back to her husband _(yes. Husband. Not boyfriend material anymore)_ , too dumbfounded to say anything else. This was so…so thoughtful of him. That's why he's been rushing them for the past few hours. And she's glad now that he did.

"You make me so happy," she whispered but it was mostly to herself.

"Well, I would hope so," he said, making her laugh. "So…I take it you like it?" he asked, a smile widening slowly on his lips.

"…I love it," she whispered before wrapping her arms around his torso. She really did. "…But how'd you…?" she trailed off in disbelief.

"Booking it _way_ early does have its advantages," he said with a faint smile, remembering the numerous calls he made from work to request and make sure the reservation included the same room they stayed in on their wedding night. This suite room may not be _that_ big of a surprise, but he wanted the night to end with something significant, something that'll make the night even more special for _both_ of them. And he succeeded.

Stella shook her head at his meticulous planning. There wasn't anything he didn't think of to the last detail. And it's such a shame that they couldn't arrive earlier. Maybe they could extend this reservation for another day?

He cleared his throat, getting her attention once more. His eyes changed, darkening into a shade of jet brown. The blonde swallowed a small gasp as his hands tightened around her waist. "And since we didn't have a proper wedding night our first time…I thought we could recreate that," he smirked, cornering her into a wall.

Catching his drift immediately, Stella's cheeks burned in red amber, intensifying when she felt his chest pressed against hers as he moved to close the gap between them. The blonde placed her hands on his chest, teasing some distance between them. "Recreating, hmm?" she whispered, repeating him. "But I thought we only watched a movie that night," she teased.

"Well, I _did_ bring a laptop for old times' sake," he continued to smirk, unfazed as he pointed to a black laptop shoulder bag by the door. "So…you can pick, beautiful. A movie or…something… _fun,"_ he smirked, removing her hands from his chest to pin them on either side of her head.

"Hmmm…" She pretended to be in thought. "Then I choose…a movie," she teased though they both knew what it is exactly they wanted.

He raised an eyebrow at her choice. "Really?" he tested her, unfazed by her "choice."

A blush touched her cheeks. "No," she whispered, shaking her head.

He chuckled. "Then what are we waiting for?" he smirked, pleased with her answer. He picked her up, earning a surprised yelp from her, before leading them straight to the bed.

* * *

 **~ 1:30 AM ~**

Still nowhere near sleepy even after…certain physical pursuits, the couple remained wide awake as they cuddled on the bed. In fact, they even had a movie playing on Stella's laptop.

The two were each comfortably dressed in a pair of night clothes that Brandon had packed earlier and tucked away their fancy attires safely.

"You know…we never finished the movie that night," Brandon commented absentmindedly, stroking her hair.

"I'm not upset about that," Stella giggled. If she isn't wrong, he had on a horror flick, _Insidious,_ on their wedding night. Not a fan-favorite of hers, so she wasn't really complaining.

He chuckled in response before continuing to watch the current movie. "Things changed so much, didn't they?" he gently said in reminiscence. He heard her hum in response.

"Especially you," she vouched.

He nodded. He knew that. The only difference between the him from two years and the him from today is he was no longer angry. He was no longer crippled by the fear of being alone. Only one difference yet the most consequential one.

"And you," he added.

"Me? How?" she asked in confusion. She didn't think she changed _that_ much. Maybe if being hopelessly in love counts as a change, then _hell_ yeah, she did a _lot_ _more_ than changing.

"You've gotten even more gorgeous," he grinned cheekily against her hair, leaving her surprised for a second before her lips widened into a goofy smile and she melted into a puddle of mush. Feeling her continue to smile against his chest, he could help but be happily infected by her highly contagious grin.

The two sat in silence for a long minute, both quiet enough to hear the seconds hand in the clock tick. The dusky lighting made the hushed ambience all the much more romantic for them. There was nothing on their minds. Just peace and quiet.

 _"Is this really necessary, Mrs. Shie— I mean, Heather?" Stella asked with an uncomfortable frown. Clearly, she wasn't happy._

 _"You only get married once, sweetie. No matter what happened, it's still an occasion to celebrate," Heather gently told her with a motherly smile before patting her shoulder. She looked like she was about to speak again but turned around and left abruptly when she heard her name being called._

 _Stella felt like she was at the center of attention with all these cameras being flashed around her, giving her attention that she absolutely despised. Is a photoshoot session really necessary for a phony wedding ceremony? She didn't think so._

 _She bit her lip in discomfort. She didn't know if she wanted to cry or scream. She unconsciously bent her head and tried to cover her face, but the flashes still terrified her. She gasped when she felt a presence in front of her, temporarily shielding her from the hired photographers. "At least smile for the camera," she heard a gentle voice. Stella looked up to see Brandon taking a few small steps towards her before taking her hand in his. She stared at him, wide-eyed. Did this guy just talk to her? It's only been a few days since Heather and Lucas decided to "fulfill the promise they made to their best friends." And during this time, Stella and Brandon hadn't said a single word to each other. Didn't this guy hate her? He's impossible to read, his lack of ability to show his emotions confusing and scaring people even more._

 _"…You're…you're okay with that?" she asked, her breathing coming out shallow._

 _"…It doesn't matter what I think. What does matter is what everyone feels when they leave from here today," he said honestly._

 _…Ahh. He's acting._

 _Heh._

Stella smiled to herself. _Such an indifferent asshole,_ she observed with a shake of her head. Today, he's so different from the man she initially met. He changed a lot.

Seeing the blossoming smile illuminating her pretty face, Brandon couldn't help but narrow his eyes with interest. "What?" he asked.

"Remember when Heather made us take all those pictures?" she snorted.

He let out a groan, holding her tighter and nuzzling his head into her shoulder. "God, I thought that nightmare would never end," he concurred.

She laughed. "Speaking of photos, we haven't taken any today," she said.

"I'm not putting that tux back on just for a photo," he said stubbornly.

She snorted in agreement. As beautiful as her dress was, wearing it was noticeably uncomfortable. "We can just take one like this," she said before scooting away from him to reach for her phone on the nightstand. She opened her camera before going back into his arms. "Okay. Say cheese!" she grinned. She watched him roll his eyes with a smile through the camera.

He couldn't help but laugh when she held up her hand bright and ready for the lens to see, showing off her two rings. The blonde's grin was unfathomably happy as she smiled for the camera. His lips stretched into a smile as he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her. His heart soared at how joyful she looked, and he felt his heart fly even higher when he realized it's because of him. He pulled her closer and rested his head against hers as the camera let out a click and the phone quietly captured the moment before tucking the picture away into an album.

Turning towards her, he saw that her eyes were already on him as she gazed at him, foreshadowing a future with him, one filled with hope, faith, love, and happiness.

"Happy anniversary, Brandon," she whispered, her soft brown eyes lighting up into golden corals.

"Happy anniversary, Stell," he said warmly before their lips met together with love as both poured their feelings for each other together.

 _…And it was a happy anniversary indeed._

* * *

 ** _A few weeks later..._**

 **~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 8:15 PM ~**

Stella pulled up to the residence before parking the car and turning off the ignition. She hopped out of the vehicle before grabbing her things and climbing up the porch. She picked up the mail and rang the doorbell. It opened a few seconds later, revealing an amused looking Brandon. "So, this is how you feel every time I return late from work," he observed, crossing his arms and leaning against the door with a smirk on his face. "I don't like it," he told her bluntly.

"So, this is how annoyed you felt every time I pestered you," she laughed before waltzing her way in and handing him the stash of mails she picked up. She took off her heels and cooed in bliss at how relieved her feet felt.

"Why do women wear those monstrosities in the first place?" he snorted, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Don't tell me it doesn't make us look sexier," she rolled her eyes with a playful grin on her face, tossing her hair over her shoulders for emphasis.

He let out a short chortle before going through the mails one by one. "How do these random and _stupid_ companies know our names and addresses?!" he growled just as he did every time he saw a spam mail from some unheard credit card agency.

She shrugged before taking off her coat and seeing if there are any mails for her.

The two suddenly fell silent when they saw a very familiar name on the _From_ line on the next envelope. They looked at each other for a moment before blinking and then looking at the envelope in their hands again.

* * *

 _Skylar Rose Black_

 _1234 Ocean Avenue,_

 _Dallas,_ _TX 75001_

 _Brandon and Stella Shields_

 _1800 Lake Drive_

 _New York City, NY 10001_

* * *

The last time they heard any news from Skylar was when the latter's father had shown up and told Brandon that Helen passed away. But…the whole issue with Skylar had ended on a supposed good note. The blonde wondered what Skylar could want now. "Open it," she prompted curiously.

Brandon shrugged before tearing the side of the envelope and pulling out two separately folded papers out. They were addressed with a paper. "…This one's addressed to you," he said, giving the paper written with _To Stella_ to the blonde.

Stella blinked as she took it before unfolding the sheet. Her eyes fell on her name before traveling along the neatly written letter that was addressed to her.

 _Stella,_

 _I loved Brandon with everything I have, but now I've accepted it. He'll never be mine. He never was mine to begin with. He was always meant to be with you. He never loved me the way he loved you. I knew that the first time I saw you. That's the truth. Maybe if our families hadn't been involved, I think he would've let me go a long, long time ago._

Stella bit her lip. _Would he have really let go if their families weren't involved…?_ She didn't think so. Brandon is a very committed man and if he's with a woman, it means that there is no other woman luckier than her. That's how it feels to be loved by him. He has always been sure of his feelings. If he's in love, he'll show that. There's no this or that. No room for hesitance.

Stella continued reading.

 _And…I guess congratulations are in order. I've heard you've taken over your family throne. Maybe if we weren't in the situation that we were in, I think we would've been really good friends. Who knows? Maybe someday we will be. Though it pains me to admit this, I'm happy he found someone. I'm happy he found you. Farewell, Stella. Take care of him and yourself._

 _With best regards,_

 _Skylar_

 _P.S. For what it's worth, I did hate doing what I did to you. I'm sorry._

Stella looked up as her eyes lingered a little longer on the last two lines. As contraire as it sounds, sometimes, she couldn't find it in her heart to hold any kind of grudge against Skylar. And especially not when she understood where the former was coming from. She _knew_ exactly where Skylar was coming. After losing someone so dear to heart, one would do anything to fill that void again. Anything.

Stella lifted her head to see Brandon engrossed in his own letter.

 _Dear Brandon,_

 _I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you and Stella, especially her. She's…she's a good find and…I wish…I wish that one day, you could find it in your heart to forgive me. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely wish you both well and I hope your marriage is the best thing that can ever happen to you. We were never destined to be together. If only I realized that a little earlier, I think you would've remembered me as a nicer memory._

 _If we ever cross paths again…I hope we meet as at least friends._

 _Take care, Brandon. And…I'm sorry. Thank you for that night._

 _With love,_

 _Y̶o̶u̶r̶_ _Sky_

 _P.S. I've thought about your advice and…maybe you're right. Moving on may not be as bad as I thought…_

The two stared at the papers in their hands in silence.

"Do you think she's still in New York?" Stella softly asked, breaking the quietude.

Brandon checked the envelope and saw the return address. "Dallas," he read.

"Dallas?" Stella repeated. She shrugged a second later. "That's a coincidence," she murmured before folding the letter gently before handing it to him.

"What?"

"Nothing," she shrugged. "Chris is in Dallas too," she told him, thinking nothing else of it before turning to go upstairs and take a shower and get a change of clothes.

Meanwhile, Brandon stood still, pondering over what the blonde just casually informed him.

 _…Chris…?_ He remembered when Stella told him that Chris was leaving NYC and taking over another branch at his family's company.

 _"…moving on may not be as bad as I thought…"_

 _Well…the two did know each other but…_ Brandon wondered as a small smile slowly uplifted his lips. Is it a coincidence or… _could it really be…?_ He thought, smiling to himself before setting the letters down to get on with the night.

 _Who knows?_

* * *

 ** _Six months later…_**

"I can't believe this is happening," Brandon shook his head, tightening his tie around the collar before approaching his struggling blonde. _"Again,"_ he added for emphasis.

"Hey, at least it's not that serious this time," Stella defended before raising her head promptly to give him an annoyed glance before attending to her apparel.

"You had a problem with your feet at the last wedding too," Brandon snorted before reaching down and helping her put the shoe on. "How could you _possibly_ get hurt in a room filled with fluffy feathers?!" he demanded incredulously, looking around the bridal dressing room. Cushions, sofas, and coziness. What's so dangerous here? "Is sitting down and having all these attendants get you ready that hard?!"

"It is when you're forced to act like a happy idiot even with pins and needles!" she defended herself. She rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to _gag_ at how stupid this conversation is. "My feet just fell asleep, thank you," she snorted before wiggling her foot around to circulate some blood in there and then ramming it in her heel.

"You are completely ridiculous, you know that?" he asked with irritation as she stood up and ran around the room, gathering her stuff and applying the typical last-minute finishing touches.

"Sure do!" she paced, making him shake his head in amusement.

* * *

The girls were dressed in pastel blue and their hair was let down in assorted style of curls. As the maid-of-honor, Stella looked only minorly different than the girls but still blended in with them beautifully. Her gown was a few hues darker and her hair was pinned up into an elegant updo and showed off a few of her bangs while the rest were clipped to the side.

The wedding theme was also unique and practically _screamed_ Bloom's name. Ever since she was little, she's been _obsessed_ with unicorns, fairies, witches, etc. Pretty much anything related to fantasy and unreal. And that's what she made into a reality for her big day. Everything, including the wedding cake, desserts, balloons, assorted cotton candy, was designed in pastel azure and pink colors to reflect the unicorn theme.

It was a wedding that bloomed with happiness and joy. The ceremony was strikingly one to remember as guests smiled and clapped for the couple that was united today through holy matrimony. When the reception struck, no one had any room for discomfort or even the slightest twinges of sadness in their hearts. Couples danced, singles mingled, and children shrieked with joy, running around and playing tag and whatnot.

"You know…you should really consider this theme for the Christmas gala this year," Stella suggested as she looked around couples dancing. Her heels clicked against the reflective tiled floor as she danced with her husband.

Brandon laughed as he dipped her. "And have us handsome men wear blue and pink tuxedos? No, thanks," he chuckled.

"Why not? Us girls wear a different color every day," she teased. "Why can't you?"

"…" He gave her a dry look. "…Really, Stell?" he snorted, giving her a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

She laughed before continuing to dance with him. And all night, she couldn't stop smiling one bit. The bitter memories from the previous wedding washed themselves away as the newer ones chipped off the sadness and pain, leaving only joy and bliss behind.

* * *

 ** _Another six months later…_**

 **~ Shields' Corporations – 1:00 PM ~**

A young blonde walked through the building with confidence, having been here enough times for her to know her way around like the back of her hand. She didn't even bother asking the front-desk reception for Brandon anymore. Taking the staff elevator all the way up to the top floor, Stella stepped out into the hallway, her eyes wishing to catch a glimpse of a highly attractive brown-eyed male. She walked gracefully through the bustling halls and tuned around the people around her.

Her golden-brown orbs ignited up visibly when she finally saw the room number in view. She approached the door before straightening herself and knocking on it. She grinned as she saw the newly installed smart door unlock open. She twisted the handle before gently pushing it open and closing it behind her just in time for Brandon to lift his head up from his desk.

His eyes instantly brightened at the sight of her. "Stell," he grinned like a Cheshire cat before standing up immediately and approaching her. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining," he smiled before his arms snaked around her. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?" he asked before giving her a chaste kiss.

"I wanted to give you lunch," she beamed. "Guess what's on the menu," she sang. "It's one of your favorites," she hinted.

"You're my favorite," he smirked. "So, I'll definitely take up that offer, thank you," he gave her a sly wink, tightening his grip on her.

She gasped before hitting his shoulder disapprovingly. "There's a time and place for everything," she said with dignity.

"And this place is perfect," he retorted with seriousness but not same amount of maturity. "No one can come in without my permission. And I don't have anything planned for the next two hours," he suggested, kissing down her jaw and neck. "I say this _is_ the right time and place."

She turned crimson red before slapping his chest again. "Well…well!" she fumbled with her sentences. "This is a workplace, not our bedroom!" she scolded him. "So, can we keep it that way?!"

"I know that, Sunshine," he teased but gave no signs of letting her go any time soon.

"Do you?!" she grumbled. Stella stared at him in pure frustration, wondering why on earth she has to be the one stuck married to a man who's not only amassed with sex appeal but was just so downright charming that it's impossible for anyone in their right minds to deny anything and everything he asked for.

He chuckled in amusement as he watched her resist every attempt of his. _Try to,_ at least.

"You're not listening to me!" she complained, fumbling incoherently as he kept groping her.

He chuckled again, a playful smile rolling on his lips. "Of course, I am." He teased her with his eyes, a smile resting on his lips as he finally stopped attacking her. It's entertaining to see her all riled up, to say the least. He kissed her forehead, caressing her cheek with his thumb, silently telling her that he was just kidding. "I'd always listen to you. What's up?" he smiled, lowering his forehead down on hers. "And where's my lunch?" he asked, looking at her empty hands.

She suppressed the large, humongous grin she's been wanting to unleash for a long while. "Not here. Come home," she asked with earnest eyes.

His smile faltered slightly. "Why?"

"Come on," she grinned widely. "Please?" she asked, tugging at his shirt.

"I can't," he shook his head. "I have somewhere to be in two hours, so I have to—"

"You'll be back before then," she interrupted. "Please? Please, please, please?" she asked, her legs going all jittery as she continued to pull at his collar.

"But why?" he asked with a short laugh.

"Is it really a crime to want to spend some time with my husband?" she asked, offended.

"…It kind of is when you're making him do something he doesn't want to," he teased.

"But you won't regret it!" she protested. "Please?! Just come home!" she continued to tug at his collar. If he isn't gonna come, she isn't afraid to drag him by his ear.

He sighed, caving in. "…Alright. But it _better_ be worth my time," he huskily said, giving her a brazen look as he slowly let go of her. She blushed at that and continued to as he traveled around his desk to pick up his black suit jacket that was hung loosely over his chair. _Trust me, it is,_ she told herself with a smile. He left his laptop behind though as an indication that he, indeed, _is_ coming back to work.

"Are you sure you're not taking me out for a joyride?" he asked in a few seconds as he closed the door shut behind him before the two walked down the hallway towards the elevators.

"Who knows? It could be the thrill of your life," Stella giggled.

"I've had my share of thrills when I met you. I'm good," he said, raising his hands up in surrender.

"The hell does that mean?" the blonde asked with narrowed eyes before they both stepped into the elevator.

"It means you make my life exciting enough," he smiled down at her. He gave her one of those rare special smiles that made her want to cry, dance, sing, and do just about anything and everything crazy. It made her feel even happier if that was even possible in the first place.

They became quiet as people entered the elevator. She looked down at her toes, still reeling from the way he smiled at her. It was so special and though he smiled at her like that from time to time, it still made her blush. Her reddening cheeks dimpled with a blooming smile and her eyes sparkled in a way that only the purest forms of happiness can bring. Brandon fought off a smile as he watched that. Pushed all the way to the back of the elevator, he sneaked a gentle kiss to her temple that made her smile even more.

* * *

They went straight to the parking lot and towards Brandon's car. He fished his keys out of his pocket before Stella snatched them out of his hands.

"I'll drive, I'll drive!" she hopped before pushing him aside and jumping into the driver's seat.

He stared at her. "O-kay?" he raised an eyebrow in confusion as he dragged himself to the passenger's side.

"All aboard!" she announced like a freaking pirate.

Brandon buckled in his seat belt before turning to her. "You're not drunk, are you?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously before leaning closer to her.

"Really?" she gave him a dirty look as he took a sniff.

"Nope, not drunk," he confirmed in satisfaction before stealing a quick kiss from her.

"Seat belts on, mister," she ordered, pushing him away and wiggling her index finger around authoritatively. She set the gear to driver's mode before slamming her foot on the accelerator, jerking the car suddenly forward.

"Woah, easy!" she heard but didn't care. "Stell, I really think I should take over the wheel—" he tried to protest, gulping a little.

She laughed at his fear before swerving smoothly onto the streets. Sue her. She wanted to go home, and she wanted to go _now._

* * *

Stella entered the house first, excitement rolling off her in waves. "Okay, shut the door!" she jumped around. He cast her a dubious glance but did as she told.

Stella let out a deep breath in satisfaction before suddenly letting out a very loud scream of excitement.

"OW!" he scowled, covering both of his ears and hunching in discomfort. "The hell!?"

"Brandon!" she laughed before running to him and jumping into his arms.

He let out a surprised grunt as he crashed back to the wall. It took him a few seconds to regain his disgruntled footing. He stood up straight before rubbing his forehead, shaking his head to reorient his senses. "Is this some kind of an elaborate plan to kill me?" he mumbled before opening his deep brown eyes and gazing into her soft brown ones.

She was _wayyy_ too happy for some reason.

 _Either that or she saw something she shouldn't have and went nuts,_ he snorted as he stared at her, trying his best to handle her excitement. "Shouldn't we _both_ be at work?" he snorted. "Honestly, what the hell are we doing here?" he grumbled. Not that he wasn't happy to see her, but containing her right now was just too overwhelming.

"I have a present for you!" she beamed.

"…I don't think that's a good idea," he gulped. "I don't want it," he told her bluntly.

"Of course, you do!" she chirped as she scurried off inside to the bedroom. He narrowed his eyes curiously when he heard lots of noise and shuffling. _Um…?_ He crossed his arms and waited as she returned seconds later, carrying a fuchsia-colored giftbox wrapped with cyan satin ribbons.

"Brandon, come on! Sit!" she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the living room before pushing him down onto the couch. She shoved the box in his hands before hopping down beside him. "Go on! Open it!" she jumped around in the seat, unable to contain the news in her belly _(heh, funny she should use this word)_ anymore.

He gave her a suspicious brow. "Are you okay?"

The smile on her lips faltered as she scowled at him. "Oh, for heaven's sake, OPEN ITTT!" she screamed in his ear, tired of him procrastinating. She already suppressed this news for way too long and he wasn't making it any easier.

He stared at her, bewildered, officially scared of her. "Yes, Ma'am!" he saluted before turning to the box in his hands. He immediately tore off the giftwrapping with haste, having little to no regard for the beautiful decorations. He opened the box before peeking inside. His hands fumbled with the contents before he pulled them out slowly.

"…The hell are these? A puppy's raincoats?" he mumbled, scrunching his face in total confusion before lifting them up. He stared at them with ridiculousness written all over his face. They appeared to be…onesies in baby size — one in cerulean blue and another in carnation pink. He held them each in one hand before turning to her.

 _…?_

The hell kind of a present is this?

"Which one do you think we'll need?" she asked in excitement, practically climbing on top of him.

"For what?" he asked in confusion. "Stell, why are there infant onesies in my hands—" he suddenly stopped midsentence as a new realization dawned over his eyes.

Stella's grin widened at the radical shift of emotions on his handsome face. _Smart man._ He figured it out.

Brandon's hands lowered in total shock as he turned to her. "…You're pregnant?" he whispered in shock.

She smiled before nodding slowly, confirming his hunch. He stared at her, sucking in a silent gasp. He turned towards the baby clothes in his hands, staring at them quietly. She's pregnant. His Sunshine is…pregnant. _A baby…_ they were going to have a baby. Meaning…he was going to be a…father.

 _A father…_

A father.

A father! He was going to be a father!

And just like that, a smile broke open his face as his lips stretched from ear to ear at this new revelation. Now he totally understood where she was coming from. And he could definitely understand the glowing red on the apple of her cheeks. Not the blushing kind, but the kind consisting of overwhelming happiness. He turned his whole body towards the blonde and gazed at her with anticipation. "…If I hug you, will that hurt you?" he asked foolishly.

"No, you idiot," she laughed.

A large, stupid grin appeared on his face as he laughed out of delight before standing up and picking her up bridal style and spinning her around, earning surprised but the happiest of squeals from her. He laughed into her shoulder as he stopped spinning her around. He held her close for a few moments before gently setting her back on her feet. "When did you find out?" he asked eagerly.

"Just this morning," she grinned, smiling through her eyes.

 _Oh._ He processed that but honestly, his breathing was so fast and the neurons in his brain fired up with excitement. He couldn't think that straight enough. "But how?" he asked in surprise.

"I took a pregnancy test," she answered simply. _Duh._

He chuckled and shook his head. "No…I meant, how are you pregnant?" he whispered.

She raised a quizzical brow. "…Um. You want the details of how it happened…? Hello! You were there, mister!" she accused, poking a finger to his chest.

He laughed. "No, love. I meant I thought you were protected," he chuckled, hugging her close. "You were on the pill, right?"

"Ohh, that," she sheepishly smiled, scratching her head stupidly. "I may or may not have forgotten to take it after you fled to Seattle," she giggled, fidgeting with her fingers. He had gone on a three-week trip to Seattle last month and returned just two weeks ago. "…And I haven't taken it since," she admitted.

He looked amused with her answer. "I'm glad you didn't," he smiled honestly before leaning forward to kiss her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him back as they both marveled at this news. Pulling back after a brief moment, his hand fell to her waist as he caressed the flat belly that is yet to show in a few months.

"I need to tell the girls!" she jumped in excitement before he seized her waist again gently. "And Heather and Lucas—" she fumbled with the names in joy.

Brandon laughed. "You can tell the entire world, Sunshine…" he chuckled, grabbing her wrist before snaking his arm around her waist. "…But not today," he finished as he smirked, touching her forehead with his own.

She blushed at his smirk. "Are you really happy?" she softly asked. He hadn't been on par with the whole pregnancy idea at first, but Ivy had _really_ grown on him. That little baby has the best uncle she could ever get, and that's the reason Stella was never afraid of a pregnancy scare. Sure, it was a surprise, but it was a pleasant surprise. Forget pleasant; they were both ecstatic.

"Assuming it's mine, yeah, I'm happy," he teased.

An outraged gasp left her lips at his implications. "Why, you…!" she scoffed. "It IS yours, you sick freak!" she shouted before smacking him square in the chest, making him laugh.

He continued to laugh before leaning to kiss her forehead. "If this is how your pregnancy hormones are gonna be," he teased, eyeing her with amusement. "I don't think I'm ready to be a dad."

"Brandon…!" she pouted before erupting into a fit of giggles, unable to stay mad at him any longer. It's official. They were both crazy.

"…So, did you actually go to work today?" he said, eyeing those little baby clothes with fascination and awe.

"I actually went to the mall to buy these," she admitted.

"That's one shopping trip I'd actually accompany you happily," he commented.

She giggled as he pulled her into an embrace, cradling her head to his chest. "How do you feel?" he softly asked.

"I've felt a little nauseous over the last couple of days, but it wasn't by much," she told him.

"Do you know far along you are?" he asked.

"Maybe a couple of weeks," she answered vaguely.

"We should go to the doctor to confirm," he said, gears already turning in his head as he remembered his schedules for this week. "How about now?" he grinned, eager to maybe catch a glimpse of the little life growing inside her stomach. _Wow._ "Or…" he whispered softly before leaning forward to kiss her, determined to show her just how much he loved her.

She stopped him by placing a finger to his lips, much to his discontent. "But I thought you had an appointment in…" she checked her watch before continuing. "Seventy-five minutes," she smirked teasingly.

He groaned deeply before letting out a hefty sigh. He closed his eyes, remembering, in fact, that he did.

"Buzzkill?" she giggled.

"Major," he sighed in displeasure. He opened his eyes in regret. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be," she shook her head with a sincere, reassuring smile. "I was gonna go to work too."

"Do you really have to go?" he frowned. "Can't you just take rest or something?"

She snorted, giving him a dry look. "I'm not _that_ far along yet," she said. "But I'll come home as soon as I can," she reassured him.

He smiled down at her, holding her close. _"So will I."_

* * *

 ** _That same night…_**

 **~ 8:15 PM ~**

Stella moved around the kitchen, cleaning up at the little spills here and there from cooking dinner. Throughout the day, she couldn't keep herself from smiling at random points. They still haven't told anyone yet. They were still busy enjoying the news to themselves. It was all so sudden, so unexpected, and unplanned. They have talked about children but only vaguely. Though they were still young, they were financially stable, so that's also why she wasn't afraid of accidentally getting pregnant.

She wondered if it was going to be a boy or girl. Does she really have to wait _nine_ whole months to see her own child? Really?

"Then did you expect a stork to deliver our child?" she heard an amused voice from behind.

An automatic smile burst through her face as she turned around to face Brandon. "Did I say that out loud?" she blushed sheepishly.

He laughed before approaching her. "Yup."

He looked around to see what exactly it was she was doing. "…I was very specific when I told you to rest," he frowned, realizing what she's been up to for the last ten minutes. He gave her a pointed look.

Stella facepalmed at his overprotective concern. "Oh, for Pete's sake. I'm barely weeks along," she snorted. "Besides, exercise is healthy," she explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

He rolled his eyes. "I don't care. You're gonna stay put and literally do _nothing_ ," he scowled at her. His eyes softened a moment later. "Come on. I'll clean up later," he said, ushering her back to their room upstairs.

They cuddled on the bed, choosing to do nothing else for tonight. She played with the buttons of his night shirt, unbuttoning and rebuttoning them up again. She listened to the hum of his heartbeat thump recurrently in the shell of her ear, lulling her tensions into nothingness. "We're not going to be alone for our fourth anniversary," she softly said, breaking the silence.

"Somehow…that doesn't bother me," he chuckled. He looked down at her, watching her close her eyes with absolute peace on her beautiful face. He caressed her cheek gently before raising his head to kiss her forehead. He loved her so much that it physically hurt to be away from her even for moments. When he had gone to Seattle a couple weeks ago, he never felt so alone and sleeping at nights had never felt so cold and unhappy. He always found himself wondering what she did and how she was doing. He wasn't even near to her in case anything happened and that's the one thing he hated most about that trip.

He had such a beautiful relationship with her, one that he treasured above everything else. He had an active — _very_ active — sex life and just when he thought things can't get any better than this, she surprises him with the best gift: _fatherhood._ He's going to be a father. _A father._ Wow. It felt so foreign to even think about, yet, it also seemed so natural and dear to him. She blessed him with the most precious gift of all, a _timeless_ one. And for that, he'll forever be grateful to this wonderful, gorgeous woman.

He sighed softly as his hands drifted down her body before stopping near the hem of her shirt. He lifted it up tenderly before splaying his palm over her flat belly. There was a life growing inside of her — the fruit of their love for each other. His future son or daughter, whoever it may be. He never thought he'd love anyone else as much as he loved her, but he was wrong. And he didn't mind it one bit. Nope, not in the slightest.

"I love you, Stell," he whispered with affection, kissing her forehead.

"I love you too, Brand," she faintly replied as she snuggled closer to him.

A small smile uplifted his lips as she slowly opened her eyes to meet his.

"Are you okay though?" he asked with a tender smile, his gaze resting on her. "I mean, really okay?"

"Mhm," she hummed before closing her eyes once more.

"…I wonder how big it—" he pondered before stopping to correct himself. "I mean, how big he or she is," he mused, caressing her stomach fondly.

"Probably the size of a little peanut," she mumbled.

He laughed in response, making her smile. "Only you, Stell. Only you," he chuckled.

The blonde thought for a moment. "Do you think I'll be fat by Christmas?" she thought out loud with a childish giggle. She'll probably be finished with her first trimester, but she should still be able to conceal her belly if she chooses to.

He chuckled at how adorable that sounded. "No, you'll be perfect," he reassured with a bright smile.

Stella smiled at how amazing he is. His words never ceased to bring warmth, comfort, and love to her. Their marriage had been nothing but heavenly, especially since the past year. It really is a wedding bliss. She couldn't believe how much he had _really_ changed. Though he did get angry at times, he was much calmer and more collected about it. Though they fought too many times to keep count, it was those corny couple fights that left them both laughing two hours later. "You know I love you, right?" she confessed in bliss before hugging him even more tightly if that's even possible.

"Of course, I do. You only tell me that hundred or two hundred times a day," he teased. "And scream another thousand times or so," he added with a smirk, tightening his grip on her waist.

She blushed at his drift, falling speechless. Soon, she found herself smiling into his shirt. _"Jerk,"_ she mumbled.

 _She wondered if there's any other woman out there who could be happier than she was right now._

She smiled harder when she felt him kiss the top of her head affectionately and tuck a few locks behind her ear. And she found her answer.

 _No. Freaking. Way._

* * *

 _-:-:-:-_

* * *

 ** _Five years later…_**

Stella's grin widened as she pulled up the driveway of her home. She could hardly wait to go inside. Smiling happily to herself, she turned off the ignition and hopped out of the car before opening the trunk. She grabbed her things and pulled out the suitcase before closing the trunk and locking the vehicle.

Her black, pointed high heels softly clicked against the cement pavement as she climbed up the porch. She rang the doorbell and impatiently waited, checking her watch and counting the seconds passed absentmindedly. It's been so long.

 _It's been so, so long since she saw her—_

She heard the door lock being fumbled with quite violently before the lock clicked. The door opened slowly to reveal a beautiful blonde girl with baby brown highlights. Stella's honey-coral eyes lit up with a thousand lumens and a wide grin spread onto her face as she saw her pride and joy in life: her beloved daughter.

 _& Her miracle._

"Mommyyyy!" her baby squealed before wrapping her little arms around her calf.

Stella laughed and bent to her daughter's level. "Hi, baby!" she grinned before kissing her cheek lovingly and hugging her tightly. "Awww, I missed you!" she gushed as she held her child close to her heart, hearing her jubilant laughter ringing in her ears. Pretty soon, another joyous squeal rang throughout the house as Stella looked up to see her _second_ child running towards her with an ecstatic grin on her adorable little face. The blonde laughed in joy as she held out her arm just as the little girl crashed into her arms. Stella's grin couldn't be any wider as her daughters welcomed her with huge hugs, tightening their little arms around her neck.

"Mommy missed you two too," she laughed before kissing both of their foreheads. Her twin daughters, Evelyn "Eve" Luna Shields and Ava "Vi" Katherine Shields, were her life's greatest gifts, her joys and her life. Her oldest (by a minute) had her mother's first name while Vi had Heather's middle name. The little girls were the exact replicas of their parents. Vi had her father's deep chestnut hair and his strikingly deep, dark chocolate-brown eyes. Eve was the exact opposite, inheriting her mother's blonde hair and hazel-brown eyes.

"Where's daddy, baby?" Stella smiled at them before slowly standing up and holding their hands.

They both tugged on her arm and simultaneously pointed towards the kitchen. She set her bag down and took her shoes off before letting the impatient twins lead her towards their father.

After going on a business trip of about ten days, Stella could _barely_ contain her excitement to be back home again. She went towards the kitchen and smiled when she saw none other than her beloved husband step out in an apron with a goofy grin on his face.

"Stell!" he smiled widely before walking towards her.

"Hi!" the blonde smiled before letting her daughters go for a second as she hugged him tightly, giving him a proper greeting. She pulled back only to stifle a laugh at his appearance. "What happened to you?!" She looked up at him before starting to giggle at the random smears of flour on his face. There were a few specks of white on his hair as well. She dusted his hair, using her fingers to rake through his chestnut mane.

He sheepishly smiled as he shook his head from side to side, trying to get the extra powdery crap out of his beloved mane. "You got here just in time," he chuckled before wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they separated. "These two monkeys," he pointed towards his daughters with an amused smirk before continuing, "Are a handful," he finished, shaking his head with a smile.

Stella laughed as she looked at them adoringly. "Come on," she grinned. "I'll help," she smiled.

Brandon nodded, relieved. He turned to the kids before putting on a mildly serious face. "And you two _better_ behave or you're getting a timeout, young ladies," he said but they only laughed and squealed in response before running off to play in the living room.

Brandon chuckled as he watched them and shook his head before he and Stella went to the kitchen. "How was the trip?" he asked, washing his hands in the sink.

"It was fine, but you know, we still need to talk about that contract with the Smiths," Stella informed him.

The brunet nodded before leaning over to gently kiss her temple as she looked around, wondering what he was making. "You know…the girls really missed you," Brandon said with a small smile as he turned to the cutting board where he had left half of the vegetables uncut. "I missed you," he added with an affectionate smile.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here," Stella said softly with a sad shake of her head as she watched him cut vegetables. No matter how many phone or video-calls they made, family will always be family.

"Don't be," he said gently before giving her a reassuring smile. "It's only twice or thrice a year," he said understandingly.

Stella nodded. They occasionally went on work trips, but neither traveled for too long, prioritizing family over their jobs. They weren't that young anymore. They weren't alone. They were at an age where their kids needed them, an age where their kids were too young to understand why their parents traveled.

Stella thought that once she hits thirty, she'll start to feel old and whatnot, but in truth, nothing like that happened. In fact, she enjoyed life like never before. She enjoyed her married life and motherhood. She'll be thirty in a couple of months, but it didn't faze or frighten her anymore. Another adage that proved itself true: _age is just a number._ Indeed, it is.

At thirty-one, Brandon couldn't ask for a more perfect life. With a wife he adored and cherished and with daughters he treasured, he felt…complete. _Deliriously complete._ He had a family of his own. His girls were his life. _His world._ Even when sleeping, he would often be awake in his soul, living and reliving those moments of fatherhood in his dreams.

He had the best friends he could possibly ask for. He was happy and their friends were happy. Riven's challenge of making Musa propose to him finally came true three years ago when she grabbed his collar and demanded him if he ever had any intentions of popping the ring. Nabu and Layla were married and were blessed with a two-and-half-year-old boy. Helia and Flora had another child, a boy, a year and half ago. Tecna and Timmy were married too and were currently expecting, too early to know the gender. Bloom and Sky have two boys, ages two and four. It actually turned out that Bloom was already two months pregnant with her firstborn by the time of her wedding.

As for his parents, though they weren't a couple, Heather eventually forgave Lucas. He moved back into the house about two or so years ago. His parents weren't divorced but weren't together either. But Brandon hoped that someday, they might get back together again. Who knows? Maybe they will. One just never knows.

Brandon smiled to himself, shaking his head. He was happy and so were his family and friends. There was nothing more he could ever want.

He watched his wife free her high ponytail and shake her radiant, golden-blonde locks loose, letting them fall wavily around her face. He could only wonder how much she has changed— no, _evolved_ over the years, both physically and mentally. Her tall frame and slender, fit body could easily be compared to a glam model's, but then again, she was so much better than models. Her coruscating amber orbs never ceased to enthrall him even after eight years of marriage. She was bubblier and happier. The Stella that disappeared after her parents' accident returned a little over two years later in full health. Her smile never failed to make him happier no matter where he's at or what he's doing. She radiated joy and glowed ethereally.

To everyone, she was a confident, dynamic young woman who has grown out of her initial hesitations. She was bold, she didn't think twice for a choice she believed was the right one to make, and she didn't hesitate to take worthwhile risks. She lived up to her job's responsibilities. She didn't follow her parents' footsteps. _Noooo._ She carved a path for her own and _lived up_ to her parents' legacy. _That's his girl._ Yet to him…on a personal front, even after all these years, she hasn't changed a single bit. She would still show her shy, soft nature but that beautiful side of her was only reserved for his eyes and his eyes alone. That bashful smile on her lips whenever he would tell her how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have such a ray of sunshine like her by his side, those rosy cheeks when he'd remind her that she's a beautiful woman, and those amber eyes that shine brighter than the sun showing its first face through the twilight skies whenever he'd make her laugh… _she was PERFECT._ He would never see any imperfections on her. Every "flaw", every "imperfection" was just yet another perfection that he adored, loved, and treasured about her. It's what made her _her._ She would always be that clumsy, loveable, and beautiful girl he bumped into that fated coffee shop all those years ago.

Unaware of his gaze on her, Stella turned to give him a glance along with an accompanying smile to him, the one man who truly loves her to heaven and beyond. His deep russet-brown eyes shone with a tenderness as he gazed down at her with nothing but affection and love for her. _Home._ He's literally the living personification of that. After coming home from work, spending quality time with their girls together and confined within the cozy walls of their home… _nothing_ could ever be compared to that. No amount of happiness would _ever_ amount to the one that comes from a loving family. If the tears she shed in the past, the nightmares she endured through, the cold nights she spent by crying alone, the choices she made (good or bad) …if _all_ of those decisions led to this moment, if all of that misery added up to this _exact_ instant, then _every_ single of them is _worth_ it _. All of it._ And she'd _gladly_ do it all over again if she could. She's happy.

"I love you," he softly told her with a loving smile.

Her heart fluttered with those cliched butterflies that are heard of in teenage years. _Yes._ Those. Those enchanted, fairy-tale envisions of a naïve sixteen-year-old…they'll _always_ exist. "I love you too," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with bliss.

Despite having heard it countless times from her, those three magical words never lost their effect on him. He smiled, closing his eyes, as their lips softly brushed against each other's before enclosing in a slow, unrushed kiss. She moaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hoisting herself up on her toes.

Just as it was about to get a little too heavy, the two heard a rush of footsteps and excited squeals. Stella softly gasped as she separated from him before eyeing the kitchen door just as the twins came running in. Brandon jolted out of his trance in discontent.

"Oh, for Pete's sake," he mumbled with a short smile, shaking his head. "Quiet, you two," he said, pointing to them. "Didn't I tell you that running in the kitchen is gonna give you a timeout?" Brandon chuckled, separating from Stella before bending down to pick up Eve, an exact replica of her mother. He set her down on the kitchen island, away from the utensils and stove, before doing the same thing for Vi and placing his arms on either side of them to prevent them from falling.

Stella laughed and shook her head in amusement. "What were you making all this time, by the way?" the blonde asked him, looking at the assortment of ingredients placed all around the counters.

"In getting these two to _behave,_ " he started before giving the giggling children a look, "I think I forgot," he sheepishly admitted.

She giggled before looking at the kids adoringly and thinking for a moment. "How does mac and cheese sound? I mean, are they old enough for that yet?" she asked, scratching her head in confusion.

"Sunshine, _everyone's_ old enough for mac and cheese," he laughed, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Daddy," Vi tugged his shirt cutely, causing him to turn to her.

"What is it, baby?" he smiled.

"I want a story," she protested.

 _This should be good,_ Stella giggled to herself. When the girls were little, they would be such fussy eaters and Stella would be at the last of her patience trying to get them to eat. And then, Brandon once told them a story about two beautiful princesses who were sisters and who were always good to one another and as a result, how they were loved by everyone. The story eventually calmed the two girls as they listened in a trance while Stella fed them. It's become a sort of tradition to continue that. Story times were one of the things the family enjoyed.

Stella walked towards the refrigerator and stopped for a second as Brandon grabbed her wrist gently. He kissed Stella's cheek softly before letting her go. "Alright, which one?" he smiled. "How about Snow White?" he asked, knowing that it was one of their absolute favorites to listen despite hearing (and watching) the story countless times. Some tales just never get old.

"Are fairy tales real, daddy?" Eve asked innocently.

Brandon smiled softly. "Of course, they are, sweetheart. How else would I have you?" he said lovingly before kissing her forehead.

Stella's heart warmed at that as she, too, agreed with that wholeheartedly. She'd vouch for that too. Her husband and her children were her world. Her joy and her heart. Whoever says that fairy tales aren't real will be forced to take their ridiculous claims back once they see how happy she is in her life.

They weren't the mushy, cotton-candy versions of Hollywood depictions where only good things happen. _No,_ they were a _family._ They share the good and walk through the bad. _Together._

"So, which one is it? Snow White? Cinderella? Uh…what else are there?" he knocked his brain for some thoughts. "Oh, yeah. Sleeping Beauty?"

Eve tapped her chin cutely as she thought for a moment before Vi chirped out loud. "Is mommy a fairy tale too?" she asked innocently.

Brandon seemed stunned by the question but soon, a soft smile widened onto his lips as his eyes darted over to his wife's blushing face. "…Yes, sweetheart," he softly said. "She is," he whispered, keeping his eyes on the blonde for a long moment. "She is," he repeated, turning to his daughter who probably doesn't even know the full meaning of a fairy tale yet. "Just like you are," he told her softly.

"Then you and mommy story!" Vi asked excitedly. Eve jumped in her seat too, agreeing with that hyperactively.

Stella stopped her actions as she paused for a moment, marveling that she heard such a question from her children. With slightly widened eyes, Brandon stared at his daughters for a moment before turning towards Stella who had a similar look of wonder to her face and clearly shared his sentiments. The blonde smiled at him as she gazed at him. Both of their eyes mimicked a sense of victory as they both remembered where they come from and how their journey began eight years ago. Turning to the girls again, he started to narrate.

 _"Well…"_

 _…_

* * *

 ** _…And cut! That's a wrap!_** (Heh, always wanted to say that!)

 ** _71,319_ _words!_** Weeeeeeeeeee! My longest chapter yet, heh! Granted a thousand of those words are probably from my ANs... Anyways! I hope that makes up for making everyone wait for about four months. Took me a week to write this chapter, but a total month and half to get started on it lol. But finally, here's the chapter and hoped you guys did enjoy it. I kept debating back and forth, wondering whether or not I should split this chapter into two parts, but then I decided to stick it into one because there were too many skips into the future. I wrote a scene or two and then fast-forwarded and then wrote another scene, etc. It was going to be a mess if I had split it, so one chapter it is! _(Super sorry AGAIN about the long wait but I HOPE this chapter & its length makes up for it!)_

 **Again, I'm SO sorry that I rushed SO much throughout the entire chapter. I am PACKED this semester with SO much coursework and professional meetings. I mean, my new schedule will barely allow me six hours of sleep, so I wanted this story to be finished at any cost because I wouldn't be able to do it at this leisure in the upcoming weeks. Anyway. I think I would've written this chapter MUCH better if I've started a little early but writer's blocks are just cruel.**

 *****AND***** I originally wanted to add this at the top but the AN was getting too long (been an year and half and I _still_ can't stop blabbing in the author notes *shakes head*), so hence! I would like to give a shout out and huge hug to everyone who reviewed, good or bad ( **NOT** talking to/about _trolls_ when I say this), because this story wouldn't have been possible without you guys. I learned a lot and I've received various feedbacks from many of you. And I did this in the beginning chapters but wasn't able to in the subsequent ones. I'm writing this part of the AN when there are 1237 reviews. I usually always reply to registered users even if I'm late by a few days. Though I can't reach out to everyone else, I've still tried my best to do so here. These are the names that I often see and others that come to mind:

 _ **ALL of the people who've added this story to their faves/follows PLUS Registered users: lifeasmarah, ekatykat8, PinkiePie24, Anna Stone/blazingstar99, Chelseasaumya, CryingWithTheWolves, bubbleswriites, Cirastarstella, Xfangirl123X, High Hopes in Satin Ropes,**_ _ **Nonas palace, Cece/AmethystPower, GardenHeart,**_ _ **WinxClubBloom6, StarletLove, kiwimaddy, and**_ _ **plenty more!**_

 _ **Guests: C**_ _ **harlotte, Loxley Lamar, Crissy, Megha Trivedi, brella, crazyfangal42, Veronica, all the unnamed guests, and so many more!**_

 _ **Email-only users: SammyPoo, Reese, and Xia!**_

 _ **THANK YOU! THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU!**_ _ **(Please don't be offended if you don't see your name here because there are literally so many people and I love all of you equally!)**_

Thank you for putting up with me (and this story's incredibly slow pacing -.-). I faced really big downs over the past year and half but even _bigger_ ups. So, I don't really have any complaints :) Overall, it's been an amazing ride and it's great to meet and greet most of you :) I've been lucky enough over the past many months to befriend so many rock stars!

Thank you once again and hopefully see you soon in another fic! :) Take care and stay beautiful from within! :)

 _Love,_

 _SeaEmerald - The Author_


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